Having trouble with motivation in your organization?
Can you motivate other people or is all motivation self motivation? Can you motivate someone else or does the motivation to do things have to come from another person.
If you don’t know the answer, that’s OK because many psychologists don’t know the answer either. Don’t worry about it.
Let’s not worry about trying to motivate other people. More, let’s create a motivational environment. Let’s use conditions in our organizations to help people feel connected and engaged, not only to each other but to the work they do.
Here’s a concept you can use to do that:
1. Create Urgency – How do you create urgency? Create timelines and deadlines. Unless you put an end date or end time on something, none of the people on your team are going to work towards that end. Once that clock starts ticking, you can count on people to feel urgent about making something happen.
2. Encourage Competition – An example: You want your team to come up with a bunch of new ideas for products or programs or services. You get up in front of them, “Hey, let’s brainstorm some ideas for our new product.” Some folks might be a little shy and may not offer much because they feel funny about putting ideas in front of everybody. If you want to create urgency, divide the group into two teams, ask the very same question, however phrase it like this, “The first team that comes up with the most ideas for our new product, program or service is the winner.” Now watch what happens – the same activity – put into smaller groups, where one group might trump the other is going to increase the level of urgency and you’re going to get many more ideas than you would had you left it in the group of the whole.
3. Give them the finger – Delegate Responsibility. Stop asking your employees, your members, your organizational staff, who wants to…?
Don’t ask anybody, who want to…? Take this finger and point. Would you help me with this product? Would you help me develop a new idea? And what you are going to find is that finger pointing creates urgency in someone and they will tell you they can’t do it, in that case move on to someone else or they’ll say yes! When you point that finger in public everybody hears that person commit to help. If that doesn’t increase someone’s motivation, nothing will.
Don’t worry about motivating other people. Create the environment in your organization that will raise motivation by increasing urgency. You’ll be very happy with the results.
Michael Miller is a nationally recognized leadership and motivational speaker.
For more information on Michael Miller, contact Ken Abrahams at 781-436-3187.