As an entrepreneur and businessman, I have been asked many questions by individuals looking to become successful leaders. One of the most common questions I have been asked is about how to stir a fire within a team and keep team members motivated.
As a leader, you want your people to be motivated by your goals, to work towards your goals and to go the extra mile and surpass these goals. You also expect them to be motivated about their own personal performance on a daily basis.
There is one concept, however, that you must grasp to inspire people on an individual level: You must find out what motivates each person. Each person is motivated by different things -- what works for you may not work for the next person. As a leader, it is your job to determine what these motivating factors are. On the surface, this seems like a simple and basic concept, but in actuality, this is something that very few people have fully grasped.
Anyone I have mentored has heard me ask the same question: What is your "it?" Why do you do what it is that you do? What gets you out of bed in the morning? Understanding your “it” is a huge part of success as a person and understanding the “it” of those around you is a huge part of your success as a leader.
This feeling of a strong and unbreakable motivation is something that people long for. Some people spend their entire lives searching for something to ignite a fire within them. In fact, some people are so desperate to find their “it” that they seem to get their fix from surviving off of the motivation of others around them. They spend much of their time trying to feed off of others and somehow form this half-hearted excitement about what others are excited about. Your “it” is personal to you -- it is not what you do, but why you do it.
When you can successfully help those around you find their “it”-- when your “it” is finding the “it” of others -- your team will follow you. To have that void filled is the greatest motivation that one can come across in life. When you find your purpose and incorporate it into your daily life, you will feel uplifted and refreshed. A team that works with integrity and takes pride in what its members do will be unrivaled in terms of both quality and efficiency. In addition to learning the “it” of those around you, here are some parting tips on how to better motivate your team:
1. Pay your people what they are worth. Money should not be the main motivator, but it can be a good incentive for your team to reach goals.
2. Provide your people with a pleasant place to work. A peaceful environment is an efficient environment. Your team should be happy to come into work, and this starts with building your business on integrity and a positive atmosphere. This atmosphere should be quickly and easily recognized by anyone who steps into the office.
3. Offer opportunities for self-development. I pride myself on being an investor of people. Invest your time and care into your team. When an individual begins to grow and prosper, your team will benefit from it every single time.
4. Foster collaboration with your team. Get to know those around you. Many of my employees have become like members of my family. Invite them over, and encourage camaraderie and friendship in the workplace. When coworkers get along and become friends with one another, efficiency and effectiveness will skyrocket.
5. Encourage general happiness. When members of the team are feeling down, uplift them. Keep an open-door policy, and make yourself available to those around you. Keep a positive attitude and people will soon follow suit.
6. Don’t punish failure. Seeing someone on your team fail can be upsetting and frustrating, but rather than coming down on them, teach them how to be better. The fact is that nobody likes to fall short, and punishing them for it will not help them. Make sure any criticism that you give is constructive, not destructive.
7. Set clear goals. Make sure your team is on the same page, that they understand what is expected of them and how they can reach these goals. If a person has no goal to reach for, they will only be following blindly.
By taking into consideration the “it” of others, as well as these seven tips, you will inspire and challenge your people to be a more efficient team. By applying these ideas to your life, you will inspire and challenge yourself to become a more effective leader.
