MOTIVATION
A Cherokee's 10 Suggestions for Effective "White Eye" Motivation
by Charles Chief Boyd

When Indians start in the gaming business they seldom can find enough Indian employees to run their casino's, hotel's and conference facilities. So how do you motivate those "White Eye" employees to do their best for your tribe? Let me give you 10 ways in which to motivate your employees.

1. Take time to make friends with your employees. It is critical for motivation to occur that you make the work enjoyable. It will increase the probability of their work being valuable to your tribe. Be friendly, this will also translate into them being friendly to the Casino patrons.

2. Get excited about your Casino! Remember that your Casino has only one purpose. That purpose is to help your tribe... to make their life a positive joy, full of abundance. Excitement is contagious, if you are excited about what is happening for your tribe your employees will pass that on to the Casino patrons.

3. Shut up and listen! Most people are much better at speaking than listening. Listen to your employees, listen to how can you really help them? This is a natural for Indians, we are usually much better at listening than speaking. Listen for what they are asking, and then do your best to help them, this will also translate into the employees helping the Casino patrons.

4. Just be yourself! Meaningful motivation will occur as unique personalities communicate. Nobody can communicate your unique personality better than you! Don't try to be a big-shot manager, just be yourself, and your employees will see you as someone they want to work for.

5. Choose positive words when speaking. Words tend to create pictures in peoples minds. Positive words create positive results. Likewise, negative word pictures create negative results. Indians are great at visioning things - vision a successful casino and watch it happen.

6. Focus on helping. Fellow employees aren't interested in your needs as much as in what you can do for them in their tasks. Everyday, pick out some employee and try to figure out some way in which you can help him do his job. Then help him. You will be astounded at the response.

7. Don't assume you are understood! What you say may not be what they hear. Clarify by asking questions until you are positive that you are understood. Indians are most often misunderstood because what they said was not what "White Eyes" heard. A simple question, like "What did I just ask you to do?" can do wonders for your communications.

8. Demand performance! Ask your fellow employees to perform with specific desired results. They should always know how you feel about their performance, and should never have to ask you if it is OK, good or otherwise. People are more comfortable when they know what is expected of them and usually feel hurt when they are not appreciated. Never forget to compliment the job well done!!!

9. Give the why! Often we demand a tasks be done, but seldom explain why it is important or why the timing is critical. Impossible tasks are not as hard if we know why we are doing them, but easy tasks can be impossible if we don't know why. Don't just ask someone to keep the casino clean, tell them it is a reflection on the tribe, and we want the casino patrons to know we respect them and are going to show them that our tribe appreciates their coming to our facility.

10. Never be offended. If others don't like your decision and disagree, accept it and avoid feelings of rejection. True managers always express what they think is the best for the employee. Some Indians are easily offended. Do you have a chip on your shoulder? If you do and pass it on to the employees, they will pass it on to the casino patrons. This is a hard one for Indians and will require effort to overcome, because many of us don't realize we have a "wounded bear" attitude.

With every team of people I have worked with and followed these ten suggestions, it has resulted in a motivated team. It just takes one member of the team, manager or employee, doing this to motivate the group. Oh! one other point, it works on Indians as well as "White Eyes."