Improving Motivation

A key part of every manager and leaders role is to get results through others.  Achieving results through others requires is often a challenge.  So how can you improve motivation?

Provide challenging work

While everyone needs to become comfortable in their role and build confidence, just about everyone enjoys a new challenge.  It is all too easy to fall into the trap of believing that because someone is good at what they do, that is enough.  Those that are good at their job generally want to grow and develop.  Providing challenging work like involvement in a new project is an excellent way of improving motivation.

Learn to listen

One of the common frustrations that employees have is that they feel that they do not have a voice in the work place.  People start out initially with enthusiasm but if what they are offering in terms of suggestions for improvements is not given proper consideration, they eventually give up or leave.  Making the time to sit down, listen and explore ideas can have a huge impact on how people feel about their work.

Set meaningful goals

Objective setting or goal setting sessions carried out as part of staff appraisals are ideal opportunities to set meaningful goals.  Yet often they can become sessions where the manager or leader merely tells the other person what they will be doing in the coming year.  By engaging in dialogue about what the employee needs and the employer needs, more meaningful and motivating goals can be set.

Recognise achievements

In the busy work place, it is all too easy to fall into the trap of ticking things off the list and doing.  People are probably working hard and actually achieving a lot but how often do you make the time to recognise the contributions that people make.  Virtually every study or report that is produced around employee satisfaction highlights the importance of recognising achievements or praising good work.  It takes little or no time and costs nothing.

Support balanced risk taking

If you are asking someone to do something new to them or to the organisation, you are asking them to take some risk.  Organisations cannot be reckless, but achieving new levels of performance requires some degree of risk.  Supporting and empowering people to take balanced risk can be extremely liberating and motivating.  Remember that nothing of significance is achieved without some degree of risk.

Motivated people make a huge difference to organisational success.  Making some simple changes in the way in which you operate as a manager and leader can greatly improve your ability to get results through others and improve motivation.