Properly motivating employees is a common issue faced by leadership, regardless of industry. However, work incentives alone may not be enough to get your team going again, depending on what drives their motivation. Irrespective of the cause, there are a variety of motivators to reignite your employees’ passion at work.
Entrepreneurs and CEOs are keen to change the world with their business measures. But the fact of the matter is that the work itself may not be an all-important aspect in the life of your employees, especially when compared to the mindset of a business owner or manager. On the other hand, being a manager capable of continuously keeping employees motivated serves as an invaluable asset in and of itself.
By finding a way to regularly inspire your employees to put their best foot forward in terms of work, you will also increase your value. Your goal should be to identify a method that improves your value as a team in meeting company goals, staying on task, and beyond. For example, while money is a significant motivating factor, there are also non-monetary ways to motivate your team to improve. A regularly energized team is ready to work and nearly impossible to stop. To create your ultimate team, you must work to identify the key to motivating everyone involved.
Improving Communication
Leaders with poor communication skills often fail to motivate their teams regularly. However, once in a while, they may hit the nail on the head and succeed in a small way. Unfortunately, to maintain a dream team, a new level of effective communication is required. Clear, concise communication enables you to motivate your team through an open, transparent culture that managers utilize daily. Once you achieve improved communication, your team can move on to the success you crave with increased efforts in motivation.
Using impactful words will do more in delivering an efficient message than you’d think. When communicating with team members, ensure your message is clear, easy to digest, and honest. Many leaders fail to express their expectations of their employees effectively. As a result, your employees will feel micromanaged, as though you demand too much of their work. By maintaining clear communication, your team will thrive in an environment where they can succeed with a simple understanding of what you expect.
Become Better at Listening
Improved communication skills are worthless if you cannot first learn to listen. Your ideal dream team seemingly moves together flawlessly because they listen and feel heard. As a manager, failing to hear the thoughts and opinions of your employees will further lower morale. Practicing active listening is essential to the process of listening, but you must follow up by taking their thoughts and opinions seriously if only to keep your employees on board. Even if an employee’s topic of conversation is far from work-related, keep in mind that they may simply be seeking anyone willing to listen to their particular dilemma.
Fostering Life Beyond Work
While today’s entrepreneurs are typically more motivated in the work environment, that isn’t necessarily the case for average employees. An entrepreneur stays focused on changing the world, whereas most employees work to make ends meet. To keep your team on track, you must push for the necessities your team needs to thrive. In addition, life beyond work is essential for your employees, especially during annual vacations. It would be best if you encouraged each employee to take their leave to enjoy hobbies or traveling so they can return to work refreshed and happier than before.
Improve Likability
When a team likes their manager, they are more likely to go above and beyond on their behalf. The more you want a particular person, the more likely they will be persuaded by their opinion – the same goes for your employees. In fact, there are three well-known principles for the workplace, with liking being an easily implemented principle in motivating your team. By working toward becoming a reliable, honest, and likable team leader, you are more likely to stay on the good side of your employees.
Return on Investment
Reciprocity is another principle you can easily apply to your team. This idea requires your commitment to invest yourself into your team for the ultimate ROI. Ultimately, after you give the team something, the chances that they will provide something in return rise significantly. These investments may come in the form of buying lunch for the team at the end of the week, allowing employees to have a snack during the day, or even buying them a soda. These efforts all maintain your team’s energy level and produce higher quality work.
The Social Phenomenon
Social proof is the phenomenon wherein individuals are likely to copy the behavior of another in the assumption they are making the correct decision. Leaders can utilize social proof to motivate their team, to demonstrate the excellent work of another, thereby validating the efforts of the group as a whole. For example, taking the time to celebrate a team member will motivate the other members. Celebrating accomplishments is an excellent way to display social proof by allowing employees to feel good about their efforts at work. Praise, motivation, and a sense of accomplishment work together in making social proof of the phenomenon it has become.
Avoid Micromanaging
As an employee, a parental management style is one of the most undesirable options. It imparts a lack of trust, as though they are constantly being watched or punished with a lack of responsibility. The fastest way to damage your reputation as a leader is to micromanage your team. Not only does it lower trust, but it also produces unmotivated and disengaged employees.
By partnering with your employees, you will boost the sense of shared responsibility at work. Not only will your employees become more self-motivated on the job, but they will feel the reward and responsibility of a job well done. In addition, if you work to build and maintain the perception that your employees will succeed as a team with you by their side, it will benefit the company for years to come.
In Conclusion
If you want to be a successful leader, the fundamentals of motivation are a skill set you must work to develop as a manager. Employees are more willing to bring their best version into a workplace where they are encouraged, supported, and heard. Because everyone is unique, the idea of monetary motivation does not work across the board. By learning the tools of motivation, you will be well on your way to becoming a trustworthy leader your employees work hard to please.
