Everyone has their own method of trying to motivate their employees, but not all of these first reaction motivations are actually productive. For example, when a previously very strong worker starts producing bad work the manager’s reaction is to give him/her a raise. This, however, does not provide the long-term motivation the team member needs to start producing good work again. Here are three ways that can help to keep your team motivated!
- Identify the Source of Lost Motivation
- Before you can fix a problem you have to figure out what the problem is! So really try to dig deep and figure out what could have sparked this recent lack of motivation. Three causes of lost motivation could be loss of purpose, loss of ownership, or personal problems. It is important to figure out the cause so you can respond in an appropriate manner.
- Set Goals
- Setting goals creates an ownership and commitment to the task. Working and planning goals together can refocus the team member. Creating a timeline gives a hard deadline so team members will have a concrete finish line and be held accountable. Showing progress along the way can also be very motivating because it gives a sense of accomplishment.
- Provide Authentic Feedback
- Giving genuine feedback is motivating in all different ways. As long as you approach it right, the team member can either be proud of what they have done or realize how they need to improve. Three ways of giving authentic feedback are to acknowledge process, give meaningful praise, and reward accomplishments.
Cohn, Chuck. “Three Ways To Keep Your Team Constantly Motivated.”Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 06 Dec. 2013. Web. 21 July 2015.
