Motivation Secrets

By Mark David
Since your front line is connected to your bottom line, you want to ensure your front line people are very motivated.

During these times of economic instability, motivating employees to be more productive can be challenging. But motivation is simply a matter of investing time and energy into connecting with each employee.

The following five secrets will help any organization that is committed to its front line. Remember, your front line is directly related to your bottom line.

Secret 1
Create and share your vision with your team.

First, create and communicate a clear vision of where you intend to lead your organization over the next 12 months. By sharing this vision, you provide each employee with a sense of purpose, clarity, meaning and security--critical to maximizing productivity. It strengthens each employee's ability to work through difficult times with a "hero's mindset."

As you create your vision of the future, you need to also design a simple communication plan to reinforce your vision. Come up with various ways to reinforce your vision. Sending an e-mail each month is not enough; you need to get creative and innovative to catch your employees' attention.

In the past, one of my clients gave each of his employees a binder entitled "Our Year-Long Journey" with 12 tabs clearly marking each month of the year. The binder included a letter describing the company's vision and the commitment to achieving it by year-end. The letter also informed the team that they would receive a new chapter each month to help them implement the needed steps to achieve the company vision.

The simple idea created an awesome sense of unity. Everyone felt part of the journey. They knew exactly where they were going and what they needed to do to get there, each employee anxiously awaited the next chapter of their journey.

Secret 2
Speak to your employees in their language, not yours.

If you speak in your employee's language and talk about their personal goals, you will increase their productivity. You can't talk to every employee the same way. You can't motivate every employee the same way. Since we manage unique individuals, we need to take the time to understand what motivates them, and what communication and feedback impacts them. People do things for their reasons, not yours. Discover why your employees are working and what they are working toward: receiving a promotion or bonus, time for continued education, earning extra vacation time, or saving to purchase a new car. Ask them: What do you want to achieve in your business and personal life? What are your career goals? How do you see your current position helping you achieve your goals? What communication and feedback do you respond to? What do you like to do in your spare time? Help them see that their position in the company is the vehicle to achieving their dreams.

Secret 3
Teach your employees how to fish.

One effective way to motivate your people is to educate them. The best managers develop their employees into self-sufficient, high-achieving professionals. By taking them to their next level of potential and by teaching them new skill sets, you release an internal source of pride and confidence. This instills a high level of productivity, and efficiency for the company because you have proactively invested the time up-front, teaching your employees how to do things right vs. waiting until you must correct them. Set up small groups of employees based upon common skill sets they need to master. Challenge them to understand the issue, and show them how to "fish for the answer." Include role-plays and show-and-tell exercises. Once they have mastered their skill, repeat it with them.

Secret 4
Tell your employees what you expect.

Don't expect your employees to ponder what you want and read your mind. Knowing what is expected gives them the motivation to start in right away to accomplish the desired end result. Once you give clear direction, set benchmarks for them to report their progress. This allows you to give them praise and further direction if needed. When problems arise, critique them positively. This will save them time and possible future embarrassment.

Secret 5
Create a culture of no fear.

Motivation takes many forms. As you invest your time and energy into your employees, you will see results. Remember, you don't need money to motivate your team; you need clear direction, understanding, the willingness to listen and to learn, and a vision where truth is your model.