How can you do it?
Over the years, I have heard that you can’t motivate someone else, that motivation is intrinsic to the person. Yet, one of my clients asked me to create and facilitate a workshop on topic of motivation, so I happily took on the challenge. In the process, I learned a lot.
First, a challenge. Another client recently told me about this exercise which I have used quite a bit lately, with interesting results.
Here are four words: autonomy, competition, compensation and recognition.
Think about you own personal motivation. Which of the four words most resonates with you? You can only pick one. Think about it. Which word did you choose and why? That answer will help you have more clarity around what really motivates you, and perhaps be a guiding light for you when your motivation is waning.
#WiseWords
“If you believe it’ll work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you don’t believe it’ll work out, you’ll see obstacles.“
Worth the Share
What do you do when you are not feeling motivated? Maybe it is because the crazy economic news this week is upsetting or you are just worn down by work or family issues. Whatever the reason, there is something you can do about it.
This article, written by Nora Tobin for Fast Company, focuses on shifting the neural pathways of the brain to “set a strategy for optimal outcomes”.
Here are the highlight’s of Nora’s roadmap
- Start with the Why – this is the key. Be specific.
- Aim for Consistency – set goals regularly. Build the habit.
- Create an Action Plan – do the goal setting exercise. Everyday.
- Shift Your Mindset – observe and neutralize negative thoughts.
- Limit the Number of Goals – prioritize what really matters.
- Be Ambitious – aim high, optimize your time. Go!
For more context around these insights, read The Brains Survival Guide to Get Motivated After a Setback.
And Finally...
Back to the workshop. There are dozens of different tactics that you can use to create a motivating environment for your team such as flexible scheduling, asking for their opinions, giving them time off, or stretch assignments.
As leaders, knowing what motivates each of your team members is critical. We are all different, and when it comes to motivation,
what motivates each of us is different. One of your team members may be motivated by recognition and for another, recognition might make them uncomfortable. Of course most of us will say that money motivates us but I will challenge you to dig deeper.
Finding out what motivates you and each of your team members will help to significantly increase engagement, a key metric for successful organizations.
Have a great week.
Mary Jo