In the business environment attitude is contagious. The right kind of attitude has the ability to inspire the staff thus teaching them all the tricks of the trade. Keeping employees motivated is easier said than done. Nonetheless, remaining excited and accepting new challenging on a daily basis can have a great impact on employee morale. It is important to be a tough leader. Good leadership skills draws believers and leading a team usually means more than just making sound business decisions. The best leaders have the power of setting a tone; they’re guiders, advisors, and last but not least, companions. Here are 5 effective principles that will help you keep your staff motivated:
- Have a mission statement and sell it to your employees
Every business leader should have a mission statement. You must know the ins and outs of your company, have goals, and do everything in your power to attain them. In an organization every single individual knows what they’re doing in proportion of 100%; however, very few know WHY they do it. This doesn’t necessarily link to making a profit, but to a purpose. An inspired business leader gives meaning to the work his employees perform. He values the work that they perform and he can fully grasp that motivation and engagement are vital to overall productivity.
- Be a strong leader to have strong players
One of greatest enemies of a business leader is apathy. You can choose to get involved or not, and believe it or not, this can be incredibly challenging. Each worker has a certain job to do; he/she has the chance to be an “internal entrepreneur” with brand new ideas and the most creative, problem-solving solutions. As a culture leader you have to encourage that behavior. Let your people grow, motivate them to strive harder, and help them become the best at what they do.
- Be an inspiration to your staff, hire a motivational speaker
The value of a motivational speaker, guest of honor or orator is impossible to overstate in a corporate setting. Retreats and workshops emphasize on the great importance a keynote speaker might have. These professionals will inspire, motivate and energize your staff thus persuading them to work harder and with a lot more enthusiasm. There are many celebrity speakers a company can hire. An expert in a particular domain will help boost company morale too. As much as we try to make sure our workers are happy with the tasks that they perform on a daily basis, at some point people will get bored and their level of excitement will decrease. Hiring a speaker will help you reignite their interest.
- Show appreciation
Financial incentives are always welcomed, although these are not enough to keep employees satisfied at the workplace. You can’t give raises on a daily basis to increase morale. A smart leader needs to think outside the box, and this usually means coming up with ingenious ideas to value his people. Highlight notable achievements in staff meetings and reward responsibilities to those who dared to takes a risk or made tough calls. Words have a powerful effect; congratulating a worker on a job well-done will instantly increase his self-esteem.
- Don’t hesitate to share your passion
Business leaders should never forget that all eyes are on them. The attitude and actions they portray will determine the type of leader they are among their people. A bossy attitude will triggers feelings of fear and hatred. You don’t want your staff to run each time you walk into the office; they’ll become tired of running and eventually they’ll leave, thus lower productivity levels and damaging the company bottom line. Share your passion with your people, allow them to know you as a person, and welcome their input.
The more you allow your staff to participate with ideas the highest chances you have to gain their trust and make them feel comfortable sharing those ideas. Set up team building sessions, brainstorming meetings, and weekly getaways to keep your people motivated. This way you give them the opportunity to express themselves freely. Brilliant ideas will materialize when leaders collaborate with employees, and to be completely honest, teamwork is the secret recipe to a company’s success.
There’s some great ideas here, money isn’t always the number 1 motivational fator (although I doubt anyone would turn down a raise). I’ve often found that a combination of strong leadership, praise and recognition, encouraging two-way communication and introducing delegated authority have all helped to re-focus and motivate a team.