As a manager, one of your most important responsibilities is to motivate and inspire your team to do their best work. An unmotivated team leads to lackluster results, whereas a motivated team that feels genuinely inspired is more creative, productive, and invested in achieving team goals. As a recruiter, you want to identify and hire managers who excel at motivation. So what’s the secret? Here are some researched tips:
Lead with Vision and Purpose
Start by giving your team a clear sense of purpose. Help them understand how their individual work drives the organization’s vision and mission. Connect the dots between their daily tasks and the bigger goals. Teams want to feel their work has meaning and impact. Tie that all together, communicate the vision regularly, and publicly recognize contributions that propel things forward.
Recognize Contributions Regularly
Make praise and recognition generous and sincere. Even small wins should be acknowledged to motivate the team. Publicize especially significant contributions in team meetings, internal newsletters, and at higher leadership levels if warranted. Recognition directly from leadership can be very inspiring. Award equity and bonuses for major accomplishments.
Empower the Team
Empowered employees are productive employees. Provide the tools, resources, and authority your team needs to effectively do their jobs without excessive oversight. Support ideas and initiatives brought forward by them. Trust their expertise and ability. Ask for input frequently, implement suggestions, and give credit.
Offer Flexibility & Balance
Provide work flexibility in terms of scheduling when possible. Support work-life balance and wellness initiatives. Burned out employees tend to lose motivation over time. Respect personal time and encourage proper work-life alignment through policy and by your own example. A culture of care and humanity goes a long way.
Coach & Develop Skills
Invest in actively coaching and developing each team member’s skills. Help them tackle challenges, provide constructive feedback regularly, and create plans for personal growth. Managers sometimes neglect lower performers – but motivation often suffers most with these individuals. Strive to lift all boats. Proper coaching demonstrates commitment to everyone’s success.
Bring Fun & Celebrations
While work should be taken seriously, an element of fun, playfulness and celebration helps teams bond and boosts energy levels. Organize voluntary team outings, bring in treats for accomplishments, plan brain breaks to chat about non-work topics, and more. Laughter, downtime and camaraderie lift spirits remarkably.
The best way to motivate others is to unleash their own internal motivations. People want to grow, accomplish great things, and be part of something bigger than self. By inspiring vision, empowering your team, providing flexibility, supporting continual growth, and bringing humanity, care and celebration into the culture, you enable incredible motivation from within.
If you’re interested in learning more about Kalos Consulting and retaining an executive search firm for your hiring needs, connect with Kalos Consulting.
