As discussed in yesterday’s BYB Daily, your role in motivating your team is to provide leadership, set goals and reward employees when they reach those goals.
“People will go the extra mile if there is something in it for them,” says Joanne Ferguson, president of Advisor Pathways Inc. in Toronto.
> Know your staff
One important step in your motivational strategy is to learn as much about your team members as you can, Ferguson says. Start by showing an interest in their personal goals — what are their hopes, dreams and interests outside of work?
Says Ferguson: “Knowing about an employee’s personal ambition helps you better understand the people you are working with.”
Knowing what drives your team members will not only help you find tasks that best harness their interests and energies, but also give clues as to how to reward them.
If you are concerned that some employees might be reluctant to share their private life, ask about their goals during a friendly conversation outside the office.
This knowledge will help you in aligning a team member’s role in the office with those personal goals. For example, if a team member is interested in writing, ask them to contribute to your newsletter; an employee interested in event planning can help organize client events.
> Be honest about challenges
Some external factors can lower morale. The most common is an economic slump, when employees become worried about their jobs. Your best response, says Joshua Zuchter, a business and personal coach in Toronto, is to be upfront with the team and keep them informed.
“The more employees know, the more confidence they will have about their position in the company,” Zuchter says. “If employees know the company is experiencing difficulty, they are more empowered to take charge and help the company out as much as they can.”
> Accentuate the positive
Exhibiting a positive attitude overall is a great motivator, according to Zuchter.
“Don’t just focus on what needs to be fixed, but also on what staff members are doing really well,” he says.
Then, Zuchter adds, point out what’s not going so well, so that they can improve. “You make them feel more empowered,” he says.
Other motivation tips:
> Encourage self-improvement and personal growth by urging employees to take courses. Support their efforts by allowing them reasonable amounts of time off to attend classes.
> Go out together as a team, maybe once every quarter, and do something that’s fun. Have a golf day, a bowling night, a picnic or dinner together.