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 How to Motivate Your Team
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Today, let’s talk about some ways to motivate your team. The strategies I’m going to lay out below are mostly geared toward businesses, but they’ll also work in your personal life when you need to motivate your children, friends, neighbors, etc.
I have worked with many business leaders over the years, and I specifically asked many of them how they motivate their teams. And although I’ve heard hundreds of great answers, I’ve compiled a list of the top 8 ways to motivate people. They are: |
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- A sense of belonging: make your employees feel like they’re part of the company. Let them in on the major decision-making, and let them know that their input counts. Allow them to speak up freely and voice concerns during meetings. Also, go out for a company lunch every week, and host events and activities outside of work once in a while.
 Public recognition: announce your team’s achievements publicly. You can do this by hosting a company lunch and handing out small awards to those who’ve met their sales quotas, for example. Or, you can brag about your top employees on social media. Just make sure that you’re fair and the recognition is merit-based.
Tip: When I used to work for a distributor, the owner of Saint Arnold's Brewery would publicly give out beer glasses to everyone who hit their sales quota every month. A small but inspiring gesture.
- Private recognition: thank your employee in a one-on-one setting for something specific, such as how pleased you were with their last sales presentation, or how many new customers their marketing campaign brought through the door. This type of motivation is great for those on your team who are shy and may not like public recognition because of all the attention. You can deliver the thanks either verbally or as a written note, and be sure to include a small gift as well.
- Monetary reward: this one is self-explanatory. Give your employee a bonus, raise, or promotion for the hard work they’ve put in.
- Fear of consequences: negative reinforcement is usually not the best way to motivate people, but sometimes it’s necessary. If you have a particularly troublesome employee who’s always breaking the rules, set some consequences for the unwanted behaviors and clearly explain them to him/her.
Tip: When you need to reprimand an employee, try this simple process.
 Competition: a healthy dose of friendly competition can boost morale and increase output. Set up a monthly objective that your team can compete for, and be sure to give out some small prizes at the end to top performers.
- Significance/purpose: go beyond the day-to-day work and help your employees find a higher purpose. Volunteer as a company at the local soup kitchen, or help with disaster cleanup after a bad storm. Your employees will appreciate being a part of an organization that's helping make the world a better place.
- Life balance: don’t turn your employees into workaholics. Offer gym memberships as perks to them, or organize a group sport day once a month. Never overwork them and if possible, implement a program for work-life balance. Healthier employees are often more efficient workers.
And remember, this is NOT about you! Don’t motivate your team only by the ways that you yourself are motivated. Everyone’s different, and that’s why it’s so important for you to really get to know your people. Find out what each team member is motivated by, and try your best to cater to them.
Thanks and have a fantastic week,
Jared Polak |
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