How Do You Motivate?

One of the important things I learned when researching my first book The Inspiring Leader is that many leaders lack the ability to really inspire and motivate others. I’d even say we learned as much about what not to do and what backfires in addition to what works. No matter how long you’ve been a manager, knowing how to motivate each person on a team is challenging and even frustrating. Many companies try to implement unruly performance management and incentive structures. But, team motivation usually boils down to skilled leadership with strategies and tactics that are unique to members of your team. Here are the 3 tips for being more effective and motivating as a leader.

1. Help your employees find meaning. Help them to see how their work contributes to the broader picture. When people leave for the day feeling good about what they did, they are more motivated and committed. Through your own actions, set the standard for how your team can bring this sense of value to their work.
2. Demonstrate appreciation. When you praise an employee in front of others, you reinforce desired behavior and performance. It also encourages others to do the same to earn their shot at better results or recognition. Share why their contributions matter. Being controlling, negative, or inspiring fear of failure is not a sustainable (or healthy) way to inspire a team. 
3. Invite open discussion – especially dissenting opinions. The success of your team is highly dependent on a strong two-way street of trust and communication between your team members and yourself. Build trust by encouraging disagreement with you, asking for opinions on what you may be missing, and then carefully listening and reflecting on what you are told. Sometimes the most important information and ideas come from those who see things differently from us. Be open to input and feedback and then be ready to put it into action. If team members don’t trust you, they may feel expendable and less motivated.

Being a leader comes with a lot of responsibility and it’s easy for us to think about motivating employees as something extra and even taking us away from all we need to get done. But don’t let this essential task get lost in the shuffle. Motivated and inspired teams are critical to success, and the effort is well worth the investment.

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