Million Dollar Question: How to motivate a team?
One of the questions I'm asked most is, "How can I motivate my team?"
How good are you at motivating your team?... Can you really motivate
another person?
What you can do is SHAPE how they're motivated. You can help shape
their existing motivation and ownership of their work by creating an
environment where they stay motivated.
Great teams are made
Personality and intelligence are major determining factors with performance,
although research tells us that successful performance on the job can also be
attributed to both experience and coaching.
This means you can...
View your team as partners, not as dependents or mouths to feed.
Ask yourself, are you leading a group of followers or are you coaching a team
of partners?
Leading a group of followers can be exhausting and is very lonely
work. I recommend the partnership approach in order to increase a team's
motivation.
Follow these Five Ways to Transform Your Team into Partners
1. Set up a way to exchange new ideas or solutions on a regular basis.
Could be in the form of a monthly feedback session about a current project,
a brainstorming meeting on new initiatives, or whatever fits within your
organizational culture.
2. When possible, keep your team involved in decisions with the
business. Asking your people what they think can go a long way in building a
feeling of responsibility and ownership. Keeping them on the inside makes
them feel like they're part of something.
3. Give your people responsibilities or work assignments that will help
them grow in their competencies. "They're not ready yet" is not always a
reason for withholding responsibility. Sometimes we are standing too close to
see the great potential or talent in our own people. Weigh the risks and the
benefits and look at their past performance as a guiding factor.
4. Give your team opportunities to teach and lead. Offer them
opportunities as specialists, or mentors. Let them run meetings or take turns
being project leaders. Ask them what they like to do, then try to incorporate
this into their work over time.
5. Take the time to learn how to give effective feedback. Once you have
it down, it becomes a fun and powerful way to guide your business or team.
Your people cannot read your mind. They need to hear the right feedback on
a consistent basis.
About the author:
Diana Keith, people strategist and business psychologist, works with
leaders and their teams to increase innovation, morale, and
productivity. See her website http://www.mlevelsystems.com to get
your free people strategy guide for success.
Copyright © Diana Keith, M-Level Systems Inc.
Back to the home page or contact us if you have questions or want to
schedule a complimentary consultation.
********************************************************
How to reprint this article in a website / forum / blog:
Digital Reprint Rights
One of the questions I'm asked most is, "How can I motivate my team?"
How good are you at motivating your team?... Can you really motivate
another person?
What you can do is SHAPE how they're motivated. You can help shape
their existing motivation and ownership of their work by creating an
environment where they stay motivated.
Great teams are made
Personality and intelligence are major determining factors with performance,
although research tells us that successful performance on the job can also be
attributed to both experience and coaching.
This means you can...
- 1. Coach your team to greatness and increase motivation
- And
- 2. Give them the right opportunities to apply their skills on the job.
View your team as partners, not as dependents or mouths to feed.
Ask yourself, are you leading a group of followers or are you coaching a team
of partners?
Leading a group of followers can be exhausting and is very lonely
work. I recommend the partnership approach in order to increase a team's
motivation.
Follow these Five Ways to Transform Your Team into Partners
1. Set up a way to exchange new ideas or solutions on a regular basis.
Could be in the form of a monthly feedback session about a current project,
a brainstorming meeting on new initiatives, or whatever fits within your
organizational culture.
2. When possible, keep your team involved in decisions with the
business. Asking your people what they think can go a long way in building a
feeling of responsibility and ownership. Keeping them on the inside makes
them feel like they're part of something.
3. Give your people responsibilities or work assignments that will help
them grow in their competencies. "They're not ready yet" is not always a
reason for withholding responsibility. Sometimes we are standing too close to
see the great potential or talent in our own people. Weigh the risks and the
benefits and look at their past performance as a guiding factor.
4. Give your team opportunities to teach and lead. Offer them
opportunities as specialists, or mentors. Let them run meetings or take turns
being project leaders. Ask them what they like to do, then try to incorporate
this into their work over time.
5. Take the time to learn how to give effective feedback. Once you have
it down, it becomes a fun and powerful way to guide your business or team.
Your people cannot read your mind. They need to hear the right feedback on
a consistent basis.
About the author:
Diana Keith, people strategist and business psychologist, works with
leaders and their teams to increase innovation, morale, and
productivity. See her website http://www.mlevelsystems.com to get
your free people strategy guide for success.
Copyright © Diana Keith, M-Level Systems Inc.
Back to the home page or contact us if you have questions or want to
schedule a complimentary consultation.
********************************************************
How to reprint this article in a website / forum / blog:
Digital Reprint Rights
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Team Motivation
Team Motivation
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