As a leader in the ever-evolving world of business you must be adaptable when it comes to motivating your team. Easier said than done right?
After 7 years of running my own business, I have learnt a thing (or ten!) about this subject. Probably the hardest thing anyone will learn about is people, but if you participate in constant learning on the subject, you can be successful, grow your business and create a flourishing culture that breeds productivity.
When your team is motivated, you work in ‘flow’ together. The team then move in unison, have more attention to detail, and there is more job satisfaction thrown into the mix all round.
Listen – The most important and underrated motivator of them all. Every year as a team we do goal setting so I can understand what my team’s goals and aspirations are. As time goes by your teams needs change and evolve. I remain open and note down what people want individually so I can use these as incentives or use the feedback when strategizing big changes as a business. Managers can do something similar or be open during one-on-ones to make suggestions to decision makers.
Autonomy & Trust – If you cannot trust your team, you have the wrong team. This is just the facts of life and something hard to swallow sometimes. You need to let go and delegate tasks, help your team grow. Inspire people and show you trust them whether that’s giving more responsibility or giving a task where you remain hands-off. You may give a task to a team member and be impressed which in turn could help with your own development especially if you are someone who finds it hard to let go. For many years I looked after some of our big accounts, often spreading myself thin because I was scared to let go… as soon as I did let go these accounts grew.
Accommodate (some) flexibility – It’s been a hot topic over the past few years, and every business will have to have different ideas on this. I have always been a firm believer in flexibility if people are productive. Flexibility does not just mean ‘working from home’. It means an employee not being scared to ask to go to a school play, to receive a delivery or to ask to work from home because there are issues with the metro. Whatever it is I have learnt that as the world has changed so has the way people work. Being open to the change is important.
Show them how it’s done!! – I am there every day supporting my team, answering questions, taking the reins when I need too and cheering on their wins. I know it’s not in every business owners schedule to be there all the time but to have some presence is very important. I remember during Covid times I doubled down and went in 150% taking on accounts left right and centre even though I had so much to do with the actual running of the business. But you know what… I made no redundancies; no salary cuts and I showed my team we got this… and we did. I do not handle any accounts anymore, but I do always help with everything, and my team will always be safe in the knowledge that I always have their back. This breeds an intrinsic type of motivation in my team where it comes from within them to succeed as I show them how it’s done.
Reward & Recognise – It can be as simple as a “well done” for some people. But to understand different ways to recognise individual achievements is very important when motivating staff. Some other examples could be:
• Monetary
• Trust
• Extra flexibility
• More annual leave
• Trips
• Spa days or vouchers
• Little gifts
• Public recognition
• Wellness
• Development
Whatever it may be its important to understand an individual’s idea of recognition as it really differs person to person.
Finally, sometimes you can give and give and give but some people will still not be motivated. That’s on them and not you, people must find their own inner motivation too. You can create the best culture in the world but if someone does not have it…. They don’t have it.
// Nicki Wilson, Owner and Managing Director of Genie Recruitment