When one thinks of ways of motivating others, the first image that comes to mind is that of a coach gathering his team members together before a big game, giving them a pep talk, and getting them all revved up to go out on the field to play their very best. At the same time, this initial form of encouragement may work at the onset; usually, halfway through the game, it has worn off. It is, therefore, more essential to find more permanent ways of motivating others.
While it is strongly believed that individuals cannot be made to act in one manner or another, it is possible, on the other hand, to create a favorable environment that will encourage people to work in a certain way and also will help to foster a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment for their achievements.
People become motivated when others defer to them for advice. Many individuals make the mistake of assuming that it is demeaning to them in one way or another to ask for advice from another, especially from someone lower than them at work. This is not the case. When you ask advice from someone more knowledgeable in a given area than you are, you instill motivation in them because they realize that they must be viewed as competent or otherwise; no one would ask them for their thoughts, ideas, or suggestions. This helps employees to feel that they are a worthwhile part of the greater whole of their workplace. When it comes to employees, be aware that “people support a plan or a program which they have helped to develop.”
Always seek to keep other people “in the loop” about what is happening, whether it be family or staff meetings at the office. At work, ensure the sessions are relevant to those who attend and contain helpful information. Workers feel more confident and are more motivated to do their best when informed about the happenings around the office. People are also pleased when superiors communicate vital workplace information to them.
Make sure you share the end goals with your employees as well because no matter how choked full of information a meeting is, if it does not include the hoped-for goals or results, employees will quickly become bored, restless, confused, and frustrated and will probably be looking for an excuse to get out of the meeting and return to work! This is also the case with family meetings. Once children are old enough to understand, please include them in the meetings as this will make them feel a part of things and give them a sense of pride.
Praise makes a person feel recognized and adds a sense of meaning to just about any project, task, assignment, or chore. This is especially the case when a person has been working towards a goal for a long time and needs all the encouragement and motivation they can get.
Like bathing, motivating others is a daily event. How can you help motivate others today, tomorrow, and beyond? Create a culture to foster motivation.