You can’t talk about change without taking a long, hard look at motivation. Surely your own experiences can be added to this list, but we have found that when you are looking to boost performance through motivation it pays off to:
Show Vulnerability
Show vulnerability in leadership. You are basically asking people to take a chance in trusting you and the direction you are offering. So, you need to show that you are willing to go out on a limb too. This video (an old friend) came up during our lunch talk. You don’t have to watch until the end, you’ll get the jest of it fairly quickly. As leaders, we must lead by example and dare to be vulnerable. We are, after all, humans.
Create Triggers
Make sure employees have the ability and motivation to create behavioral change, but don’t stop there! Include triggers in your leadership actions to make your employees sparkle. When you look at the people you are leading and you see both talent and drive, two things need to happen 1) you take a minute to appreciate and 2) you incorporate triggers in your leadership actions to get the absolute best out of them. An example of a trigger here at Workz is our sales-huddles on Friday mornings. A very simple leadership initiative that supports our everyday tasks as consultants and ensures that we are animated and reminded to make use of our competencies. A little nudge if you will.
Don’t mistake resistance for a lack of understanding
Employees may very well get your message loud and clear – and still not like it. Here, you need to ask yourself: does the situation require information or communication? There is a big difference. And once you identify the need ask yourself who should be the messenger (hint: it’s not always you). This is why you should take a good look at the nature of the resistance before dissolving it.
Don’t assume generic motivation
In our experience, nothing trumps personal motivation in order to get people to perform. We can all agree that a burning platform or a burning desire can be a strong catalyst, but it won’t get you all the way. People are driven by various factors whether it is tasks, colleagues, promotions or perks. Don’t be afraid to ask about what is at the core of your employees’ motivation and take the time to dig deeper at the individual level if you want everyone to be on board.