As a manager and leader of people, one of your most important roles is that of a motivator. Having smart, skilled, and engaged employees isn’t enough to build a high performing team. You must create an environment that supports and accelerates the energy and drive of each employee toward mutual team goals. In my new book, I share … Read more
A person’s quality of motivation is greatly influenced by his/her current emotional state. This doesn’t discount the cognitive processing that is required for goal-directed action. In fact, this cognitive processing is what often produces a perception that creates a highly emotional response that either hinders or supports action. I have observed 7 emotional responses that produce amotivation — the term … Read more
A set of “Team Standards” can help a team become more committed, motivated, and collaborative. Team standards are not as much rules as they are standard operating procedures for work and interaction. Managers can help support a team’s success by facilitating a group discussion that identifies these standards. One way to lead the discussion is … Read more
Having a career development conversation with an employee is not always easy and certainly takes a time investment we don’t always want to make. Having this discussion, however, can be one of the most powerful motivational techniques you can use to increase performance and long-term engagement. Very few people want to stagnate. Although some may … Read more
In recent years, best performing companies have embraced the idea of building emotional bonds with employees. These companies develop managers who not only treat a person as an employee or a worker, but also as a mother, friend, daughter, and caregiver. These managers motivate people by showing a level of respect to employees that values … Read more
A considerable amount of research has accumulated over the past decade on the topics of optimism and positivity. It is now very clear that a person’s level of optimism not only impacts his/her personal life, but there is solid evidence that a person’s level of optimism can actually predict his/her performance on the job. In … Read more
Assessments can be a great way to teach team members about the commonalities and differences among their peers. When we work with others, it becomes quickly evident that we all have preferences and styles for how we work, think, communicate, and handle conflict. There are 5 great assessments that I recommend to help individuals and … Read more
Always connected seems to be our new reality. Mobile technology has given us more work flexibility and entertainment than we ever thought possible. Although convenient, it’s an invitation for continual disconnection to the important things in life. As people who want to impact the lives of others in a positive way, we must intentionally disconnect to … Read more
Many mangers expect an engaged and motivated team as a result of combining a group of engaged and motivated individuals. In a team setting, people’s motivations adapt and change as their goals become more dependent on the work of other people. A new dynamic enters the environment and people begin to evaluate the competence and … Read more
Forgive me for being a little negative in this post. Just for fun, I want to list some of my cliche and buzz-phrase pet peeves. Some of these are just warn out while others simply sound unprofessional. Managers who use these can expect to kill motivation. Use them at your own risk. 10. Rightsizing – … Read more