To be a great motivator, focus on inspiring intrinsic drive by setting clear, achievable goals, understanding individual needs, empowering people, and leading by example with enthusiasm and consistent positive action, not just hype, while fostering a supportive environment with regular recognition and development opportunities.
- Lead by Example & Be Authentic: Show passion and commitment; your energy is contagious. Be honest about your own goals and challenges.
- Understand Your Audience (Individualize): Recognize that what motivates one person differs from another. Tailor your approach and listen more than you speak.
- Create Clarity & Vision: Set clear, achievable goals (SMART goals) and help people see how their work contributes to the bigger picture.
- Empower & Develop: Give people autonomy, resources, and chances to grow, which builds self-esteem and ownership.
- Recognize & Reward Progress: Acknowledge accomplishments, big and small, to reinforce positive behaviors and build momentum.
- Foster a Positive Environment: Encourage collaboration, creativity, and a culture of appreciation, not fear or negativity.
- Focus on Intrinsic Motivation: Inspire people to find their own "why," connecting tasks to personal values rather than just external rewards.
- Build Momentum with Small Wins: Break down large tasks into small, manageable steps (the "five-minute rule") to build confidence and consistent action.
- Ask Uplifting Questions: Start your day with questions like, "What am I grateful for?".
- Plan Rewards: Visualize or plan a treat for after completing a tough task.
- Create Routines: Schedule time for important tasks like appointments to ensure they get done.
- Manage Energy, Not Just Time: Design your environment to be energizing.
- Stop Negative Self-Talk: Be compassionate with yourself and others; punishment decreases motivation.
Leadership and motivation are two fundamental elements that are necessary for the success of any team or organization. Great leaders inspire their teams to strive for excellence and lead by example. Developing the skill of motivation is achievable with the right tools and techniques, and anyone can become a great leader and motivator for their team. Based on my experience as a people manager, here are some tips to be a great leader and motivator for your team:
- Lead by Example: Leading by example is the cornerstone of outstanding leadership. A leader should set high standards for themselves and their team, working hard to achieve goals and showing dedication to the task at hand. When team members see their leader working hard, they are motivated to do the same.
- Communicate Effectively: Effective communication is critical in building a successful relationship with team members. As a leader, you should communicate effectively with your team, setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and being open to feedback from team members. This approach builds trust and a sense of belonging, increasing motivation and productivity.
- Recognize and Celebrate Success: Everyone enjoys recognition for their hard work and achievements. As a leader, you should celebrate your team's successes. Recognizing and rewarding accomplishments, no matter how small, can significantly boost motivation and morale.
- Create a Positive Work Environment: Establishing a positive work environment is crucial in motivating team members to achieve their best. As a leader, it is essential to cultivate a workplace culture that fosters collaboration, positivity, and growth. One can achieve this by regularly communicating with team members, promoting teamwork, and offering opportunities for professional development.
- Encourage Personal Growth: Leaders should recognize that people are motivated by different things. Encouraging personal growth and development can be an excellent motivator for some team members. Leaders could provide training and development opportunities or assign tasks that help team members grow and develop new skills.
- Have Some Fun At Work: I want to slip in another additional tip here slightly. This is my mantra since I have been a people manager, i.e., to have fun at work. Studies have shown that employees who enjoy their work environment are more engaged, productive, and creative. As a leader, you can create a fun work environment by incorporating team-building activities, recognizing team members' achievements, organizing social events, and encouraging a positive and lighthearted atmosphere. This can help boost morale, build stronger relationships among team members, and ultimately increase motivation and productivity.
In conclusion, being a great leader and motivator for your team involves combining various skills and techniques. Leading by example, effective communication, recognizing and celebrating success, creating a positive work environment, and encouraging personal growth are all vital elements. With the right tools and mindset, anyone can become a great leader and motivator for their team, driving them to greatness.
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7 Secrets To Being A Great Motivator
People do not naturally drift out of the comfort zone. They drift right into the center of it. Therefore, it takes a leader to move people to places that will stretch and grow them. Such a leader is Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.
If you are not familiar with the motivational brilliance of Coach Tomlin, watch the video below:
Recently, defensive end Cameron Hayward said of Coach Tomlin in this article from The Athletic, “He finds ways to motivate every guy on this team. It’s about having a relationship with every man that walks into that locker room. Every day in practice he’s interacting with guys, and after practice he’s walking around the locker room doing it, too. He has relationships with everyone, and there’s less room for chaos because of that.”
7 Secrets To Being A Great Motivator
From Hayward’s comments, we learn the following 7 Secrets To Being A Great Motivator from Coach Tomlin.
- Great Motivators Aggressively Make Moments To Motivate – One again, you cannot drift into motivation. You drift into conformity. As a result, great motivators are intentional, even aggressively. Hayward starts with, “He finds ways to motivate.”
- Great Motivators Are Indiscriminate – This is the importance of leadership. If you want every person in your organization to be highly motivated, the leader must model it. The leader must go first. Coach Tomlin motivates “every guy on this team.”
- Great Motivators Are Individualist – Motivation looks different for everyone in your organization. What motivates one person will not motivate another. You must take the time and put in the effort to discover what spurns each person into action. Great motivators customize their communications. Hayward said, “It’s about having a relationship with every man that walks into that locker room.”
- Great Motivators Have Systematized Their Stimulus – The great motivators are not irregular in their provocations. They are consistent in their persuasion. “Every day in practice he’s (Coach Tomlin) interacting with guys.”
- Great Motivators Are Initiators – They seek opportunities to improve the lives of others. As said in the video above, they run to coaching. Great motivators are not passive. Hayward noted, “and after practice he’s walking around the locker room doing it, too.”
- Great Motivators Build Great Relationships – If you are a motivational speaker, you must have a relationship with the audience. And if you lead an organization, you must develop relationships with those you are called to serve. Relationships are the tracks motivation runs on. People will not follow you if they do not want to. Coach Tomlin understands this. “He has relationships with everyone.”
- Great Motivators Solve Problems – When you attempt to motivate someone, who are you trying to do? In the end, you want to increase someone’s happiness by encouraging them to do the things that will result in a better life. But great motivators do more than just give a good speech. They also give people the tools needed to change their lives. One of the benefits of Coach Tomlin’s motivation is less disarray, discord, and confusion. Hayward concluded, “there’s less room for chaos because of that.”
Conclusion
If you want to be a great motivator of the people in your organization, you must do the following:
- Aggressively seek out and make moments for motivation.
- Motivate everyone you can. Don’t discriminate.
- Individualize your motivation.
- Systemize your stimulus. Be consistent.
- Initiate. Run to motivation.
- Build great relationships.
- Solve problems and give people the tools needed to make them happier.
These are the things great motivators do.
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