Leaders are responsible for their teams success; however, how do you lead your team to that success?
You can be a lucky manager that is blessed with self-motivated employees that work tirelessly; however, most likely, you have employees that want to do their best, but need your involvement to take them to the next level.
You may have tried different ways to incentivise your team, from offering monetary compensation to demanding that they perform better.
However, it’s not surprising if those tactics did not work. In this article, we will explore common pitfalls that prevent the boss from motivating their staff.
Working Them Too Hard
All people have their limits, and no amount of motivation will make them work harder than they are physically and mentally able to.
This understanding often baffles managers, who expect their subordinates to work as many overtime hours as required to get the job done.
It is important to be realistic and empathetic when asking your team to go above and beyond, otherwise they will become stressed and overtired, and will jeopardise the quality of the work.
Not Being An Example
The best way to motivate someone is to have them follow your lead. Being the best example for your team will prove to be motivation in its own right.
If you stay late when you need to finish a project, that will signal to your department that you have a strong work ethic.
If you are respectful and kind, that will establish a similar corporate culture where the colleagues respect each other and treat each other with kindness.
Most likely, modeling behaviour will prevent you from needing to give pep talks to your staff, as they will understand what is expected from them based on your actions.
Not Explaining The Bigger Picture
Everyone likes to feel that their work matters, but most employees do not realize how their personal efforts contribute to the overall success of the company.
Not explaining the bigger picture can cause your team members to be bored by their repeating duties, and slacking off on the job.
However, taking the time to show a finished product, explain how the services are making a difference in people’s lives or sharing positive reviews from clients can motivate your staff to work harder.
If you haven’t been able to truly motivate your staff, keep trying!
Utilise these or other methods to influence their productivity
Thanks MTD Tips
