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Motivating teams and individuals

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There's typically a big difference between what you think motivates your team, and what actually does.

Top motivators – ranked in order of what you might think:

  1. Salary
  2. Bonuses
  3. Holiday allowance
  4. Interesting work
  5. Involved in decisions
  6. Respect
  7. Training
  8. Feedback

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Actually what most commonly motivates a team:

  1. Interesting work
  2. Involved in decisions
  3. Training (that helps to deliver Career Development goals)
  4. Respect
  5. Feedback
  6. Salary
  7. Bonuses
  8. Holiday allowance.

 

"A motivated team will climb the mountains that unmotivated teams do not even look at"


Team motivation - some guidance


  1. Take a personal interest

    Have a clear vision for each team member: know where they are going and how they can develop their career.

    Casual time by the coffee machine, not a formal meeting in an office, is the best way to get to know your team members.

    "Everybody around you has an invisible sign on their head which says, 'Make me feel important.' A good manager knows that people work better when they are recognised and appreciated.”
    Simon Cowell

  2. Say thank you

    We all crave recognition: we want to know that we are doing something worthwhile and we are doing it well.

    Make your praise real, for real achievement. And make it specific.

    Give valued praise in the company of others/during a team meeting.

    Encourage clients and colleagues to forward positive comments.

  3. Never demean a team member in front of others

    If you have any criticism, keep it private and make it constructive.

  4. Delegate properly

    Delegate meaningful work which will stretch and develop your team member. Be clear and consistent about your expectations.

    (See these 8 steps to successful delegation)

  5. Develop team bonding sessions

    Take your team out to lunch.  Take them into your confidence.  Share your vision and show how they make a difference in achieving it.

  6. Trust your team

    Allow individual ownership of projects.  Do not micro manage them. Have the courage to implement MBWA: Management By Walking Away.

    Acknowledge and respect individual opinions.

  7. Be honest

    That means having difficult, but constructive, conversations with struggling team members. Don’t hide or shade the truth. Honesty builds trust and respect.

  8. Set clear expectations

    Be very clear about promotion prospects, bonuses and the required outcome of each piece of work.

    Give out fun awards, ad hoc bonuses and incentives.

  9. Don't over-communicate

    You have two ears and one mouth: use them in that proportion. Listen twice as much as you speak. Then you will find out what is really going on and what drives your team members.

  10. Don’t try to be friends

    It is more important to be respected than liked: trust endures where popularity is fickle and leads to weak compromises. If your team trusts and respects you, they will want to work for you.


Employees are happier when:.

  1. They see movement and improvement in their roles,

  2. Have a sense of meaning tied to their jobs,
    Challenge them. Support them. Inspire them. Reward them.

  3. Are recognized for a job well done,
    Show appreciation and say "thank you" often.

  4. Are actively mentored.
    Show a genuine interest in their career growth.

    One measure of a great manager is how successful his or her employees subsequently become within their industry, even if at a different company.

  5. Are acknowledged as people and not just as employees, and

  6. Feel that their work and personal lives are well integrated.

"You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want"