How do you motivate others to achieve shared goals?

2 Set SMART goals

The second step to motivate others is to set SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. SMART goals help your team members to understand what is expected of them, how their progress will be measured, and why their work matters. SMART goals also help you to track and evaluate their performance, to provide constructive feedback, and to celebrate their achievements. When setting SMART goals, you should involve your team members in the process, to ensure that they have a sense of ownership, autonomy, and accountability.

4 Foster a growth mindset

The fourth step to motivate others is to foster a growth mindset among your team members. A growth mindset is the belief that abilities and talents can be developed through effort, feedback, and learning. A growth mindset encourages your team members to embrace challenges, to seek feedback, to learn from mistakes, and to pursue continuous improvement. You can foster a growth mindset by modeling it yourself, by praising the process rather than the outcome, by providing constructive feedback and coaching, and by creating a safe and supportive environment for learning and experimentation.

5 Empower and delegate

The fifth step to motivate others is to empower and delegate tasks and responsibilities to your team members. Empowering and delegating means giving your team members the authority, resources, and support they need to complete their tasks and make decisions. Empowering and delegating shows that you trust and respect your team members, that you value their skills and expertise, and that you want them to grow and develop. Empowering and delegating also frees up your time and energy to focus on more strategic and creative aspects of your leadership role.

6 Recognize and reward

The sixth and final step to motivate others is to recognize and reward their efforts and achievements. Recognition and reward can take many forms, such as verbal praise, written feedback, public acknowledgment, tokens of appreciation, or incentives. Recognition and reward should be timely, specific, sincere, and proportional to the performance. Recognition and reward can boost your team members' morale, confidence, and loyalty, as well as reinforce the desired behaviors and outcomes that align with your goals and vision.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?