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.
Yes, hiring a motivational speaker is a great way to motivate your staff! It’s different from hearing the information from inside your organization and gives them a new perspective.
It’s crucial to keep your employees motivated. I like your second tip about being a strong leader. In my experience, anyone will follow a leader that they trust. I think that as leaders, we need to gain trust with our employees. Thanks for the advice!
I couldn’t agree with you more! Enhancing your skills as a leader is a timeless task that involves constant growth. It’s important to engage in conversation and create relationships with those who you are working with. Very nicely said! Thanks so much for sharing your insight!
Morgan recently posted…Managing from the Inside Out written by Jim Hornickel
Having your employees motivated is great and will definitely improve your business. Being a good leader is not that hard. You need to gain the trust of your employees, show them that you believe in them. As a leader don’t just boss around because you have the higher rank. You need to help one another, try putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. And thanks for sharing these tips. I find them interesting, I’ll be sure to keep them in mind.
elliot recently posted…How to Increase Staff Productivity
These are all excellent principles! Showing appreciation can definitely go a long way and keep everyone motivated. I like your tip about sharing passion – it’s bound to rub off on others, too!
Great advice for anyone who is feeling a lack of morale around the office. Certain times of the year, it can be great to bring in speakers to boost the mood of your employees!
Brian recently posted…Training ≠ Development
Excellent article! One thing I learned is marketing not only applies to providing value to customers outside your business but internally as well. Your employees are customers too, and you need to give them value outside of a paycheck. Thanks for writing!
I really liked your tip about hiring a motivational speaker. I think it’s really important to make sure that employees are performing their best, and having a professional get them excited about their work, and the value it can provide, is definitely a bonus. I think that companies would definitely benefit from following this advice, and I hope that more bosses start using more of these tactics in the future.