4 Ways To Motivate & Inspire The Team
One of the most important responsibilities of a manager is to motivate the team and keep them inspired. The first step to achieving great leadership is to have the right people on your team. If you hire people who can’t be inspired, you’ll find yourself uninspired to do that impossible task. People who are happy to be on your team and excited about the work they’re doing are people who can be inspired to do greater work and go beyond what they think they are capable of.
- Clear Direction: Even the most motivated employees need somewhere to direct that motivation. They need to know what success looks like on your team and be given clear goals and expectations as the first step. Successful teams want to understand what the overall company goals are and how they will contribute. Having clear direction will give them individual purpose, and a path to personal success.
- Autonomy: Employees respond much better when they are given control of their work and allowed to run with it. When given autonomy, employees will often take their work in directions you may not have thought of – or even thought possible. Employees want to have a voice. They want to have a say in their work, to be trusted, and to know they are being heard. This leads to an ownership mindset that produces exponential results to the company and the culture.
- Respect: Everyone seeks respect; respect for their work and their ideas and contribution. The number one relationship at work is boss to team member. If an employee does not feel noticed and respected by leadership, they will leave. This is a fundamental part of work satisfaction. And respect shows up in small places – credit for work performed, recognition for a new idea, a “well-done” for hitting a deadline and even more so when exceeding a deadline. When you foster respect by example, others on the team will do the same; to you and to each other.
- Feedback: Everyone loves feedback. We all put a lot of effort into our work. We want to hear when we’re doing well and when we need a little leadership direction to hit the expected goal. Many times, managers give feedback to new employees, but often forget about more tenured team members. When they do get feedback, it’s often when something crashes and burns – and the feedback is not generally welcome. Building a culture of feedback and coaching to performance and achievement makes it easier to hear all feedback and definitely makes it easier to give. Make feedback a habit.
When you hire people who are capable and committed, your job of inspiring them to greater things is simplified. When you keep your team highly motivated and create a workplace where they feel respected and valued, and have a clear purpose, together you’ll achieve awesome results.
By Tallmadge Hill
March 18, 2021