Top Ten Ways to Motivate Your Employees As You Go
Rather than, 'We're doing Motivation today', making your place
being a great place to work, it becomes a whole lot easier.
Yes, there is a place for those external 'raft-builds', 'away
days' and 'paintballing'! Get them in context; there is work to
do up front to leverage those experiences and get the best value
from them. Just build great relationships in your business or
organisation, one-to-one - then have the fun day out and grow
even more!
"Motivation is like food for the brain. You cannot get enough in
one sitting. It needs continual and regular top ups." Peter
Davies
So a 'people-focused' way of being in your business generates
motivation permanently and ongoing.
1. Start at the Beginning
You can't motivate people to get excited if the core basics
aren't right. So you have to get the financial reward
appropriate. Then you have to ensure that working conditions are
right. How? Ask your people if they are! Example? Folks don't
feel motivated if they are cold.
2. Dig Deeper
Apart from the basics, there is another level you have to get
just right. How they are feeling. This is where it gets a bit
more challenging. You have to ask them about this too. By
creating the right sort of trusting and encouraging open
relationships with them that they feel comfortable to tell you.
This is about how you go about it. Big, important actions for
you.
3. Fix It!
To motivate your people the 'hygiene factors' have to be sorted
out first. That's your job and you can't afford to miss
anything. Nor can you start doing the smart stuff till you get
this lot right. You can't super-enthuse your team if you are not
personally connecting with them at a high level.
4. Moving On
Get all the basics sorted out, create feedback loops to ensure
that you find out those little irritations for them early, and
create the ongoing and open atmosphere. You can't rush this
stuff though - if you do, it won't work.
5. It's Personal
Now you can get to the individual. Right now you have
'comfortable' people in a trusting and helpful workplace. Here's
where you have to build your personal relationships with
individuals. There no quick way around this. Get to know what
turns them on, one by one. Understand their strengths and
preferences - and the bits they love about their work. Give them
more of it!
6. Become Emotional
By giving them more of what they want to do, they will be ready
for more. And you can create that for them. Stretch and
challenge them - build their confidence. People get motivated
when they are excited. They get excited by being confident and
looking forward to their work.
7. Ask Them 1
Now we are on a new level. So here's the thing - to find out
what your people need more of in their working life, you need to
ask them. 'What else do you need to get more from your work?'
Find out how you can help them.
8. Ask Them 2
This is a bit trickier. You can't ask them this. Observe what it
is that you do, in your interactions with them, that gives them
a buzz. Because it will be different for everyone, you will have
to use a bit of trial and error here. You need to work this out
for yourself.
9. Things Like..
Saying 'Thank you'; encouragement; personal coaching; laughter;
resources; physical help; conversation; touching base; actions;
celebration; rewards; praise; acknowledgement; (private and
public); standing up for them. There are lots more and to be
honest, everyone is different. That's why motivation is so
challenging. But it's also why you are the boss - because it's
your job to deliver this.
10. What Happened To..
The raft building/paintballing/away days? Well, motivation kicks
in here at the very highest level. You can really motivate your
people with these exercises. Use them before you've got the
basics right and you won't get a return. This is where it often
goes wrong. And when it does, it's like pouring petrol on a fire
to put it out - it makes things a whole lot worse. Don't chose
this wrong level as an 'easy' option too soon.
Remember - people want to have fun; enjoy themselves; feel
successful at work. Creating the culture that works for you and
them is the best step-by-step you can take.