7 ways leaders can motivate people to be happy.

“Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. You got a dream, you got to protect it. When people can’t do something themselves, they are going to tell you that you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.” Will Smith.

Recent research from the University of California discovered that motivated employees are; 31% more productive, generate 37% more sales, and were three times more creative than employees that lack motivation. They were also 87% less likely to quit their job!

Research also indicates that 70% of employee motivation is influenced by their manager. People don’t leave jobs, they leave people.

Bad bosses are making life miserable for people. Here are 7 simple things “managers” can stop doing to become better “leaders”.

Stop making rules that don’t make sense. 

“You don't learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over”. Richard Branson

Rules are necessary—but stupid rules designed to establish control create frustration. Ridiculous attendance policies, unnecessary oversight and mandatory meetings put restrictions on creative people. When highly motivated, self-sufficient and capable individuals feel trivialized, they loose motivation. 

Stop forgetting to recognize people’s accomplishments. 

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds”.  Albert Einstein

Recognition is the simplest form of intrinsic motivation. Everyone likes to be recognized. Everyone likes to feel rewarded. Everyone likes to be noticed. Communication is key. The book “Five Love Languages” talks about eliminating assumptions between you and your partner by discovering what your partner truly desires. Great leaders treat employees the same way. They communicate to find out what really motivates people. 

Stop hiring and promoting the wrong people. 

“You can’t teach someone to smile. They have to smile before you hire them”. Arte Nathan.

Competent professionals gravitate toward other competent professionals. When managers lack intuition and emotional intelligence, they often make poor hiring decisions. Managers need to become proficient in the art of recognizing excellence. That requires personal development. In addition, promoting the wrong people has prolific implications on morale. Offering someone a promotion because you like them is different than giving the job to the most deserving person. 

Stop showing favoritism. 

“Fairness is man’s ability to rise above his prejudices”. Wes Fessler

Rule number one as a parent. Treat all your children equally. If you don’t, you inflict irreparable emotional damage. Employees are no different.

When managers treat top performers differently, those that are struggling get the message. Superstars receive all the recognition. It’s reminiscent of high school. Favoritism ruins morale and forces good people to leave. 

Stop enabling poor performance. 

“Proper preparation prevents piss poor performance”. Woody Hayes

In a rock band, the group is only as good as the worst player. Even Jimi Hendrix would sound bad with a terrible drummer. Your business is no different. When you fail to eliminate people that perform poorly or resist the "healthy corporate culture" you've created, the entire team suffers, especially top performers. They get frustrated and leave.

Stop making promises. 

“The man who promises everything is sure to fulfil nothing, and everyone who promises too much is in danger of using evil means in order to carry out his promises and is already on the road to perdition”. Carl Jung

Casual commitments are made frequently in corporate environments and sales transactions. It’s easy to tell somebody what they want to hear to avoid the awkwardness of telling them the truth. However, the damage you inflict by not being honest is worse than the temporary sting of being candid. 

When you set a precedent of inconsistency, don’t be surprised if your team embraces the same flimsy principles. Once "dishonesty" permeates your corporate culture, you’ve begun the slow decent into mediocrity. 

Stop being indecisive. 

Scientists announced today that they have discovered a cure for apathy. However, they claim no one has shown the slightest interest in it. George Carlin.

Most people leave their job because they can’t stand their boss. It’s a delicate balance between being human and being in control. When people lack confidence, they exhibit apathy. Good leaders celebrate success, Challenge people, exhibit vulnerability and show empathy when necessary. Bad bosses lack compassion, humility and lack the emotional maturity necessary to make people feel appreciated. They lack passion and purpose.

Here’s how to improve the situation

Now that you know the 7 sins of corporate dysfunction, you can implement 7 positive changes. Employees must also take personal responsibility for improving work satisfaction.

Begin using the rule of common sense.

“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs… one step at a time.”  Joe Girard

Lead with common sense. The Golden Rule is great but operates on the assumption all people desire to be treated the same. They don’t. People are inspired by different motivation. Learning what makes them motivated is your responsibility, and that requires communication and commitment.

Begin walking softly but carry a big stick.

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up” . Babe Ruth

You’ve heard the expression tough love? Great leaders are loving but firm. People like following strong leaders. They seek people that can make difficult decisions without inflicting pain on everyone. They seek someone that adheres to the right path even when things get tough. Poor leaders exhibit strength through controlling and arrogant behavior. That’s not strength, its weakness in disguise.  People have no interest in following bravado. Real strength is earned through respect and trust.

Begin communicating better. 

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something”.  Plato.

Many managers believe they communicate effectively but really lack good communication skills. Excellent communicators listen with the intent to understand. They offer feedback and insight acquired through effective listening. They engage in two-way communication and welcome unsolicited feedback designed to improve efficiency and productivity. Bad leaders create an atmosphere of uncertainty based on intimidation and lack of trust. They may claim to be good listeners but are "professing to be" and not practicing it.

Begin modeling great behavior. 

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”  Abraham Lincoln

Awesome leaders inspire people through their action. It’s a combination of subtle things that accumulate over time. Last week, one of my amazing team members announced her husband was battling cancer. She was concerned about her job. I said, why are you still here? Take care of your family.  Your job will be waiting when you return. I believe integrity is a highly variable attribute for many people. It sounds great and everyone professes to have it, until its tested. Then it meanders like a leaf in the wind. Effective leaders’ model great values consistently!

Begin being more transparent. 

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”  Albert Einstein

Effective leaders need to be transparent about big objectives and expectations. It’s impossible to get people excited about the business if they aren’t fully invested. When information is vague, and teams can’t define their own objectives, it’s difficult to provide intrinsic motivation.   

Begin practicing humility. 

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.” C.S Lewis

Arrogant people destroy motivation. Great leaders have humility and genuinely believe everyone is equal. They learn from other people and appreciate the contributions of others. They don’t perceive their position as a well-deserved title. They perceive it as enormous responsibility.

Begin teaching people to have balance. 

“May your work be in keeping with your purpose. " Leonardo da Vinci

Burnout adversely effects a big chunk of the labor force. It’s easy to overwork top performers and assume they have unlimited physical and emotional resources. However, stretching people too far is counterproductive. All indications suggest that performance declines once people exceed 50 hours of work each week. Beyond 55 hours, and the quality of work is so poor it completely negates the extra effort. No when to say enough is enough.

“Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress: Working hard for something we love is called passion.”  Simon Sinek

Have you experienced first had the negative or positive contributions of poor leadership? Please like and share and leave your thoughts in the comments section below. I love learning from you as well.

Steve Wohlenhaus CEO Weatherology Author & Podcast host Anatomy of Success.