If motivating staff were easy, our team would be energizer bunnies with smiles on their faces. You can’t just read about a few techniques and implement them, expecting significant changes to happen. It takes practice and perseverance like anything else worthwhile.
Firstly, remember, it isn’t just about you and what you can do for your employees. It also takes their interest and right attitude. If someone is hard-set on not doing something, there will be little you can do to change their mindset. You may be able to force her to perform, i.e., if you are a manager, etc. However, that won’t work for long. Making demands impacts attitude, quality of service, and team performance. Take a hard look at whether it’s your approach or the staff’s willingness. If you are doing your best and the rest of the team is rockin’ it, then it’s time to let go of the energy sucker. Leaders are cheerleaders, not drill sergeants.
Secondly, determination and consistency are critical for success. Realize that trying a technique only when the mood strikes is not going to produce lasting results. You must be dedicated to finding what works and then applying it. If you try something and it isn’t working after several attempts, move on.
Thirdly, your expectations need to make sense. Motivating staff is about aligning their goals with yours. This alignment requires open dialogue about needs and wants and how best to get them met. For instance, if you are trying to get one of your workers to take on more work, you need to listen to them when he says, “I have too much on my plate and can’t take on more.” The two of you can then discuss options, including having someone else help out with other tasks or picking up some of it yourself. Leaders must pay attention to workload and continually evaluate priorities. I appreciated staff who asked, “what are you prepared to have me give up” whenever I wanted to add more work to an already overtaxed schedule.
You can’t approach motivation as entirely academic. In other words, if you read about a technique and try to implement it, you naturally assume it should work. If it doesn’t, you may blame the people you are trying to motivate. However, consider the person and what might be going on in their life. Is she struggling at home, being challenged by specific clients, stressed, and unable to focus? Look beyond the immediate and have compassion.
Be an inspiration and practice what you preach. Suppose you are telling your team to work weekends but are unwilling to do so yourself. Naturally, you will experience resistance and resentment from your team. Don’t expect more from them than you would do yourself. Being a leader means getting in the trenches with your troop.
Motivating staff is complex and requires the right touch in the right way, with the right person. One way will not inspire everyone in the same way. Open the door to an ongoing conversation about your staff’s needs and wants and be as flexible as possible. Find ways to support them while the work gets done.
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