People that are motivated get more done!
Yet, many struggle with motivation, either with their staff or themselves!
So, how can one get motivated?
Back when I used to work in Corporate America, I lead large teams (anywhere from 15 to 300 at various points of time). We worked hard — often clocking way more than 70 hours a week. My team was highly educated and highly skilled. Over the years, there were things I did really well with team building and things that I tried that completely flopped! Experience is the best teacher, so they say… One thing I learned back then was that there was not a one-size-fits-all approach to motivating my team. They were, after all, individuals.
To motivate basically means to inspire to action towards a goal. While many employers believe that money is the best motivator, human resource studies over the years show that is not necessarily the case. One of my favorite resources back then was a book called 1001 Ways to Reward Employees by Bob Nelson Ph.D. http://amzn.to/h6v9d7 When I would get a new manager on my team, I'd encourage them to flip through the book and flag items that appealed to them. It was a great way for me to get to know them better and understand what motivated them.
Today I will share tips from people all over the globe regarding motivation. You will see some themes emerge. Some of my contributors talk about motivating others; while some talk about self-motivation. There are a number that I have used over the years and some I had never thought of.
Take a read through their thoughts and then share some of your own in the comments.
1. Mindset: Delete Doubt By Being NostalgicRevisiting milestones is my new favorite way to boost morale and motivation.This could be envisioning yourself “in the moment” of achieving a milestone you are reaching for, or going back in your mind to a particularly fulfilling achievement, and reliving it. (I personally prefer looking back.) Simple reflection on past victories alone can be powerful enough to squash self-defeating and demoralizing thoughts, and replace them with the relief, joy, and addictive rush of achievement. Whether looking forward or back, you will be inspired to push a little further, work a little harder, and remain more focused! Thanks to Shelley Molitor of Established Ways | |
2. Motivational & Morale Starts At The Top!Morale trickles down from the top. If the leadership works daily at enlisting the willing cooperation of people they will achieve the results they desire. People are motivated by much more than money. People need to feel appreciated, valued and respected. Most people will do about anything for a kind word or compliment. Just remember that Success is an Attitude! Thanks to Robert Prentice of Professional Development Systems | |
3. Want To Improve Morale? Listen First. Then, Do What Your Employees Tell You.One of the most overlooked and most successful techniques for improving morale in the workplace is simply to ask employees and staff what would make their lives better at work. Then, make it so. Asking this question-then doing something about it-often yields immediate improvements. Employees feel appreciated and see action being taken in their best interest. Customers notice the higher levels of service. Finally, shareholders win as word about the company spreads in a positive way. Thanks to Mike Wittenstein of Storyminers | |
4. Accumulate Peace With Serenity BreaksBurnout and stress are morale killers that cost USA businesses $300 Billion per year. I prevent both by taking short “serenity breaks” for stretching, meditation, gratitude work, prayer and brief activities that are grounding, centering and calming. One minute of each hour adds up as it triggers processes below the level of consciousness that culminate in peace, greater absorption in work tasks and productivity. It makes my meditation practice much easier because peace is cumulative like stress. Thanks to Tom Von Deck of Monkey Wisdom Workplace Meditation Programs | |
5. Find A Way To Give To OthersFind a way to give to others rather than look for what you can get in all of your dealings and interactions. It may seem like a cliche and somewhat of a paradox, but it does seem to be true that the more we give the more we receive. The only way to see if this is really true is to put it into practice and see if it is actually so. My sense is that you will be amazed as to how your life will change and your career will grow if you do. Thanks to Jeff Gitterman of Beyond Success Consulting | |
6. Motivation Requires Acceptance Of All Our EmotionsLack of motivation indicates emotions aren't being dealt with. Motivation requires a commitment to give up a victim mentality and take responsibility for our emotions by honoring and accepting them rather than judging and resisting them. There is a loving compassionate being within us all. Get in touch with him/her and appreciate all emotion coming from this place. This allows our emotions to become integrated, which re-connects us with who we really are so we feel more alive or motivated. Thanks to Paul Reinig of Mastering True Love | |
7. Genuine, Sincere Thank You'sThere is nothing more powerful that an authentic note of thanks. A hand written note conveying how a person's specific contributions made an impact makes for sincere recognition. Acknowledging with a written note helps someone feel appreciated, boost morale and be motivated to contribute again and again. Remember to keep this note where it can be read again in an affirmation file! Thanks to Ellen Delap of Professional-Organizer.com | |
8. Appreciate And MotivateOne of the best ways to keep a motivated staff is to say “thank-you” for jobs well done and to engage in constructive approaches to corrective action when something is done incorrectly. It just robs your staff's energy when you eviscerate them for errors. Thanks to Dr. Pam Straker | |
9. Visions Of MotivationMy number one motivator is my Vision Board. I use Microsoft Publisher so I can edit, print and put in frames over my desk. My Vision and Dreams are so important to me. I would say another fabulous motivator is educating myself by studying topics related to my industry. In fact “Keep learning to keep growing” is on my vision board. As for motivating staff, I suggest let them share theirs, then sit down regularly to discuss theirs and company visions and how they can grow together. Thanks to Michelle Panzlaff of Tidy Tiger Solutions | |
10. With A Passionate Emotional Vision You Can Reach AnyoneThe motivational power of a clear passionate Vision is the key to better results. Abraham Lincoln educated himself and did whatever it took to keep moving in the direction of his passionate Vision. JFK’s declaration: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” – President Kennedy, May 25, 1961 Thanks to Phil Johnson of Master Of Business Leadership Inc. | |
11. Inspiring Others Motivates MeWhen I need inspiration and motivation I tweet. I try to share an inspirational, motivational quote or positive intentional thoughts on Twitter, which of course updates FB and Linked In. I try to do this at least a few times a week. I firmly believe what we put out we receive in return and if I want to feel motivated, I need to be positive and believe in the possibilities. Thanks to Michelle Church of Virtually Distinguished | |
12. Energy From OthersPositive people can be a great source of energy, motivation and inspiration for me. My best sources: my NAPO-Baltimore Chapter Colleagues; groups in my 2 Chambers of Commerce; members of the De-Clutter Support Group I coach at a local senior center. The latter might not seem to be a morale booster but I get so much positive feedback about previous sessions and what helped individuals to move forward… those meetings never fails to energize me. And I ALWAYS learn something new from them! Thanks to Susan Von Suhrke of Timely Transitions | |
13. The First, And Most Important, StepThe foundation to my daily motivation — goal-setting. This goal-setting happens right before I close down the night before and is reviewed first thing every morning. No matter what, it starts my process. I always make sure I have at least one goal every day that I know I can complete that day. I've always loved crossing things off a to-do list, and checking off each goal at completion really motivates me to get back at it — whether the next hour or the next day. Thanks to Robin Blinder of Consider It Organized | |
14. Set Clear Goals & Communicate ProgressOne of the best ways I've used to motivate myself is to have a clear sense of “Goals” (where I'm are going) and to regularly communicate about how I'm doing toward attaining them. When I had staff as a Training/Performance Manager, we had very specific meetings designed to set goals and report on progress quarterly. It was an incredibly effective way for everyone on my team to feel like the work they did mattered! I've learned to incorporate the same goal setting/progress approach within my own business by setting annual goals, and taking time to review against them quarterly. A level of accountability is a key factor toward success- so, as a sole proprietor, I've been lucky enough to have a couple reciprocal coaching/accountability relationships that work as a check and balance for me… It's my own silent executive staff that helps me feel motivated and excited about my progress and accomplishments! Thanks to Cena Block of Sane Spaces | |
15. The Have's Instead Of The Have Not'sWhat better way is there to boost your own or other's morale than to take a moment to reflect about what you have instead of what you want or “need” at the moment? When we get too caught in the moment and start spinning a little out of control, it helps to step back and take a “big picture” look at the entire situation. Think about all the major things that are currently going right instead of the few things that feel like they might start to go wrong. You can do this! Thanks to Barbara Tako of Clutter Clearing Choices LLC | |
16. The Best And The Cheapest MotivatorThe motivator and morale booster that works the best, by far the best, is absolutely free. Build your people up. Make them feel important. If your people think you have a high opinion of them, it is amazing what they will do to maintain that opinion. And the more they respect you the harder they will work to hang on to your regard. We all know our people can achieve more than they believe they can achieve. Show them the vision you have for what they can become. Thanks to Barry Maher of Barry Maher & Associates | |
17. The “I Love Me” BookAccomplishments, awards, diplomas, certificates, photo-ops, thank you notes and company “firsts” all deserve memorializing for posterity. They should also be rounded up, categorized and placed in heavy-duty, plastic sheet protectors, bound in a binder of your choice and kept at arms length. I reference and flip through my little “I Love Me” book every so often (I use Pina Zangaro's made in the USA products). I am always motivated and inspired by reminding myself how I got started writing in Mrs. Campbell's 4th grade English class. The book also contains my most up to date articles that I can also show off to clients as a living portfolio. NB you may want to ditch the 4th grade stuff when you show it to the clients. Thanks to Karine Macri of Thinker Extraordinaire, LLC | |
18. Feed Your Morale By Feeding The PoorVolunteering is a big morale booster. An employer should take his employees to the local homeless shelter to help with the cooking and serving of meals to the poor. And the next day notice how quickly the work environment will change. Employees will be happier and appreciate their lives more (family, friends, and of course their jobs) which in return will increase their productivity and motivation level at work. Employees will never forget this experience. Give it a shot! Thanks to Patrick Daniel of PDCA Publishing | |
19. The WIFFM FactorPeople are motivated when they understand the WIFFM factor. WIFFM stands for “What's In It For Me?”. This works for my team members, our clients, and even my children! People of all ages are motivated to act when they seek pleasure (reward) or to avoid pain. Knowing what they stand to gain by acting, or stand to lose by not acting can get someone going. Creating a “reward” if needed gives incentive and prompts action. Explain the WIFFM well and watch the magic happen! Thanks to Debbie Rosemont of Simply Placed – Organizing And Productivity Consulting | |
20. Morale QueryI work with a staff of 14-18 year olds. The best way to boost their morale is by taping a piece of colorful construction paper to their backs and grabbing a marker. They walk around the room writing anonymous good things about each person. After about 15 minutes, (when everyone has written on everyone's back) we remove our papers and read the encouraging marks from our peers. Thanks to Jessica Holman | |
21. Starfishers!!!For six years I served homeless, mentally ill persons in downtown Dallas, two days a week. As the Psychiatrist, I was ‘team leader' on these days. I sent out an email to the whole team each day that I worked. I referred to the Legend of the Starfish, i.e., ‘it matters to that one', in each email. Starfishers…I would start the email. I would share success stories, or just my admiration and encouragement to this amazing team. We couldn't save them all, but we could offer help to them all. Thanks to Susan Delphine Delaney MD, MS of Www.drsusandelaney.com | |
22. Motivate With Time Management ToolsI run an Audit Department for a financial institution and as many have heard on the news the past couple of years there has been a lot of financial reform which has amounted to a lot more work for my department which oversees regulatory compliance. We have been so snowed under and there are more changes still coming. It is all we can do to stay up with it all. When my employees' morale get down it is because they have become overworked or overrun with special projects. Since there is not much I can do to take the workload away I send them to seminars on time or project management or ask them what they need to be more time efficient or organized and then let them order it out of the supply catalog. Thanks to Shannon Truax | |
23. Always Be Thankful!The one thing I did that seemed to work the best with my staff was to ALWAYS say thank you to them for work I had requested of them, even if it WAS part of their job description. They proved to be loyal and never said they had too much to do. (I learned this the hard way as an employee who NEVER got recognized. I swore if I ever was in a position to have employees, or a staff, that I would ALWAYS thank them, inquire as to their health, and their families. I was friendly, but not a friend.) Thanks to Sheila McCurdy of Clutter STOP | |
24. Just Make It To That Next MilestoneWhen you're working on a big project (especially one you don't really want to be doing in the first place), the “end” can seem overwhelmingly far away. So just picture yourself reaching the next milestone. Instead of trying to force yourself to organize the entire kitchen in one whack, tell yourself, “I'll work until I finish cleaning out this one drawer” — a much more achievable task. When you're done with that, go for the next milestone. And the next and the next, until you're done. Thanks to Ramona Creel of RamonaCreel.com | |
25. Hot 100 BusinessThe best people want to work for vibrant, growing companies. To motivate them, simply set a goal of five times current revenue. Announce your new goal to your employees and ask them for ideas on how you can achieve the goal. The ensuing planning meeting will be the most productive that you have ever had. Thanks to Russ Allred, MBA of HPE Advisors | |
26. Motivate Your ObituaryWhen I was fifty and while my friends were dying off I decided to I write out my obituary, and as a junior high flunkie and drop-out, I enrolled in college and graduated with a BS (summa cum laude) in two years and a MHM (magna cum laude) in 10 months simultaneously from 3 colleges in 2 states. I continued to conquer time management and achieve goals I could never dream of before. My advice to any career-minded person is to write one’s obit because it sets a clear path to follow, and the adrenaline rush is well worth it. Thanks to Claude Regis Vargo of GetYourDamnDegree.com | |
27. You Can't Motivate Employees, So Don't Even Try!Save your energy for what you can do; help people realize their intrinsic motivation. Common motivational tools don't really motivate people. Incentives like pay, benefits, time off, and others may make employees feel good for a while, but don't motivate. So, what does motivate? People motivate themselves. Leaders help people realize intrinsic motivation in many ways, but first they ensure every worker understands the mission and goals and how they are critical to accomplishing them. Thanks to Bob Mason of RLM Planning And Leadership | |
28. Making Coworkers Become CohappyI got a group of sniveling, competitive, griping, negative coworkers to like each other. I asked each of them to email me one good thing to say about the others, compiled the emails and sent each person every praise their coworkers had given them without revealing who said what. I then asked them to bring in something meaningful to them–a rock, blankie, whatever, then asked the others to guess who it belonged to and, reveal something unique about each other outside office–making them human. Thanks to Michael Travis of Prudential Spencer Hughes | |
29. Recognition Is The Ultimate MotivatorSingle out one staff member who did an exemplary job of completing a task on time and on budget and recognize their achievement during a team meeting by bestowing a prize tailored specifically for them. The prize doesn’t have to be costly but should be suited to them…. For example, a Starbucks card for the non-stop coffee drinker. Thanks to Stephanie Shalofsky of The Organizing Zone | |
30. Make Employees MatterAs a business coach and consultant, I work with employee engagement and communications plans. The best way to boost morale and motivate employees is to make them feel like they have a stake in the company. They need to feel that they matter and that their opinions are taken seriously. There's no trick to this. You need to listen to them. Ask them how they would solve problems. Get their feedback and ideas on a regular basis AND ACT ON THEM. More than any other benefit, employees value the feeling that they matter. If your employees feel that they are truly appreciated and their contributions to the company are being recognized, they will be motivated and productive. Treat them like partners, they will act like partners. Thanks to Eric Lopkin of The Modern Observer Group | |
31. Be A Goal SetterThis is nothing new! You are motivated when you have a goal that you are working toward, you will be more motivated than someone who doesn't. And your goals should be powerful enough to motivate you to do the things you know you should but perhaps sometimes are a stretch out of your comfort zone. Make it a BIG powerful goal and then take action! Thanks to Laura Aridgides of OrganizeNOW | |
32. Ask ThemI find that different people are motivated by different things. So it's more helpful to ask. Will a gift certificate do it? Special training program? Time off? Money? Each of us is motivated differently. Thanks to Maria Marsala of Act Now Seminars | |
33. Music To MotivateWhen I find myself needing some motivation I find some quiet time and it doesn't have to be a long time just a few minutes, I look at my vision board, I turn on some fun upbeat music (sometimes I dance) and I also read affirmations and/or inspirational quotes! Thanks to Michelle Morton of MeetMichelleM | |
34. MotivationIf my team has been working especially hard on a project and their energy is starting to wane, I'll declare an independent off-site team building afternoon. I'll treat them to lunch, then send them on their separate ways for an afternoon off. Thanks to Julie Piazza of Washington Employers | |
35. Masterful, Mindful MotivationI am so motivated and inspired by my mastermind group! The eight of us met at a seminar a year ago and have held monthly conference calls ever since. We are dedicated to supporting each other in achieving our goals, accountable to each other for fulfilling the commitments we have made, and thrilled for each other in our successes. We are all accomplished in slightly different ways, so the ideas and resources we contribute make the group SO much more than the sum of its parts! Thanks to Elaine Quinn of Space Craft Organizing | |
36. Connect & Motivate Yourself With Social Media & LinkedInConnection & Successes are the best motivators. If we're not motivated, these are often missing. Go to LinkedIn and Profiles of people you like & who inspire you. Look at their Profile & call them. If their photo is there, it's best. Say Hello and ask what's new with them. Do NOT tell them you're unmotivated – it will come across as whining. Listen to their successes, and think of a recent success. Tell them about it – It will refresh your memory, motivate you & maybe even them. Thanks to Jan Wallen of LinkedIn Works! | |
37. Keep Your Eye On Your GoalsTo keep motivated I try to keep my eye on the “ultimate goal” that I have set for myself and my business. When I start to lose momentum I will energize myself by bringing back the memories of the wonderful “highs” my previous successes have evoked in me. Reminding myself of what I am capable of and challenging myself to do better always creates new excitement. This will get me refocused, motivated and right back on track. Thanks to Yve Irish of Professional Organizing By Yve Irish | |
38. Tap Into The PassionIn order to stay motivated, I try to constantly tap into the underlying passion behind why I am in business: to help people live better lives and operate more efficient businesses. And that helps me stay focused, excited, and motivated. It is easy to get bogged down in details and tasks, and lose sight of the big picture. I try to remember the overall mission of my business and that propels me forward to get things done, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem at the time. Thanks to Lisa Montanaro of LM Organizing Solutions, LLC | |
39. Best Ways To Boost Morale Or Motivation.I sing. Yep. Sing. I happen to have a great voice but you don't have to have a great voice to sing. And you don't even have to know a bunch of songs. Case in point. THE KING'S SPEECH – film that recently won an Oscar. In the film, the King has a stammer. But he doesn't stammer when he sings. So his coach encourages him to “sing” when he stammers too much to get his words out and lo and behold he cheerfully sings his communication.. This Tip is so out of the ordinary that people just instantly cheer up and you can get them more productive. I've even gotten people to loosen up and donate to Non-Profit activities by singing about the purpose of the activity. NO KIDDING! Everybody wins. La-La-La La-La!!! Thanks to Caralyn Percy of The Way To Happiness Foundation International |
Responses compiled by Stephanie LH Calahan of Calahan Solutions, Inc.
Your Turn!
I know that there are a lot of other great ideas out there. What do you do to boost the morale/motivation of your staff or yourself?
– See more at: http://www.productiveandorganized.net/2011/03/best-ways-to-boost-morale-or-motivation.html#sthash.UmwMvbbw.dpuf
Chris Diamond says
40. HAVE FUN!
Now, before I introduce what I simply mean by “having fun,” usually motivation comes in 2 major criteria
1. Toward Motivation – reaching a goal, outcome, results
2. Moving Away Motivation – avoiding things, or preventing things from happening
Every type of person falls into those 2 criteria.
Test yourself!
Here’s something to work with…
Let’s get even deeper here, there’s another level of motivation that’s related to the both criteria above:
Toward Power
Away From Weakness
Toward Affiliation
Away From Rejection
Toward Achievement
Away From Failure
Toward Pleasure
Away From Pain
So, “having fun” is obviously related to toward pleasure motivation. It is related to motivation No. 33 -> Music To Motivate…
However, there’s a subtle difference…
When you have fun, doing the work, it does not seem like “work” at all.
This leads to self-motivation. It is an internal driver that’s causing you do the things you should be doing, instead of postponing them or procrastinating them.
To get self-motivated, you have to have fun in working on your project.
And after every task that is complete, our brain releases endorphins that create this sense of accomplishment from completing or finishing the job.
After each completed task, project, or activity we feel emotionally fulfilled, because we LOVED what we were doing.
Making money out of that is the cherry on top of the cake 🙂
Because you may love what you are doing, but if you do not have the necessary skills to make money, or lack of financial intelligence, there’s no way of getting the FULLEST fulfillment.
Some people say, money is not important. Stop paying your bills, and will see :-):-) However, money does not motivate enough to do something long-term.
They are simply short-term pleasure, when your business grow, and you get plenty of money from it, you won’t be motivated to continue, because the primarily focus was money.
However, money is neutral. They do not change a man, money simply UNMASKS a man.
If you are a jerk with $100 in your pocket, you’ll be a jerk with $100 million 🙂
Chris D.
Stephanie LH Calahan says
Chris – Thanks for taking the time to comment here! You shared a lot of great thoughts to keep my readers thinking on this topic. Focusing on the type of motivation is a great technique and yes, loving what you do is key. 🙂
Chris Diamond says
Stephanie,
I love what you are doing with your website, that’s the least I can do 🙂
“time management” is going to grow, I mean the demands for it.
The “Multi-tasking culture” is expanding to its best. Modern inventions damage time management BIG TIME, so it is a growing field of study, yet much to be discovered…
Do me a favor, go on search.twitter.com and type “not enough time” … You’ll see hundreds of responses EVERY TIME 🙂
We are just at the beginning of the growing curve…
But the most important of all is “having fun.” If you do not like what you are doing, you’ll eventually stop.
There’s a point of no return that’s eventually reached, but before we get there, certain price has to be paid 🙂
Chris D.
Stephanie LH Calahan says
Chris – Not enough time has been an issue in society for decades, but I agree that multi-tasking and the “always on” society expectations make it that much worse. Helping people focus on what is really important to them & helping them implement systems to get to their goals in an easier way is something that I LOVE about what I do. Helping people find time in their life is priceless.