Ideas for motivating your team has always been a leadership challenge—and it’s even more difficult now, when people are anxious, uncertain, and feeling “stuck” during Shelter-in-Place. In her July 27 “Coronavirus Curveball Tip of the Week” video, Bobbie LaPorte explains how getting to know your team members better can help you understand what motivates each one of them.
Transcript of Coronavirus Curveball Tip of the Week: Helpful ideas for motivating your team
Hi everyone, Bobbie LaPorte here again with this week’s Coronavirus Curveball tip of the week. Last week I conducted a brief survey of a 30-person leadership team from one of my clients – and asked them to identify their #1 challenge right now working with remote teams. The overwhelming response was: How do I continue to keep my team motivated and productive without micro-managing them?
What is motivation anyway? The classic definition is a reason to act a certain way. Motivation has always been a leadership challenge, and is even more so now when people are anxious, uncertain and often feeling “stuck” in an extended SIP.
It’s important to understand that you cannot motivate people, they have to motivate themselves. Your job as a leader is to learn what motivates and engages your team members, vs. what is demotivating to them. Armed with that knowledge and understanding, you can create an environment based on their needs and preferences so they can do their best work.
If there is anything we’ve learned about the people who work for us during this pandemic, it’s that everyone is different. Some people are motivated by extrinsic things like time off or $$; other by things like more autonomy or a new challenge.
It’s your charge to get to know your team members well enough to understand their individual needs. And it’s so important during these times to connect with them on a more personal level and understand how WFH is impacting their ability to do their job.
So, here’s my tip:
If you’re not sure what motivates the individuals on your team…ask them. The next time you are having a 1:1 conversation with someone on your team, offer to share something like this: “During the last few months, I’ve had the chance to reflect and think about what’s really important to me to keep me going. And what I’ve learned is (fill in the blank). And ask….What’s important to you?”
That’s my tip for this week. I’ll see you again next Monday. In the meantime, remember that leadership makes the greatest difference when the world around us is uncertain. Take care of yourself!