How To Motivate Your People

There is a book I normally wouldn’t have touched as the leader of a non-profit organization. Its title is “Gung Ho” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowels.

While reading, the mystical book title turned out to be a battle cry used by the US Marine Corps to cheer each other on. The book became a treasure trove for team building. It illustrates in a simple and visual way, how teams can achieve the best performance.

Three examples from the animal world will make a leader understand and employ team members as well as optimize their work. Let’s have a closer look at these examples (the following articles will focus on how they help to optimize the work of a team).

Various perspectives

The Squirrel

The Squirrel is the symbol of meaningful work. Squirrels are hard-working gatherers. They work hard because they engage in worthwhile work: They gather food not only for the summer but also for the winter.

The Beaver

The work of Beavers is characterized by self-determination. They rebuild their dams each in their own way. They not only do their work perfectly but they also decide on how the work is going to be done.

The Goose

Gooses stand out due to their enthusiasm. They are cackling all day long just if they were constantly cheering each other on. They live on communication.

How on earth do we cater for all these needs? There are answers.

Let’s have a closer look at the needs of the squirrel that engages in worthwhile work.

Know and share your goal

Don’t waste your time with pushing people to work. Work is not an end in itself. Turn your people’s focus to the possible outcome of their work.

Give priority to people, not products or services.

Make people understand that they contribute to a better world. This results in self-esteem – There is barely a more powerful motivation.

Hold up the goal

A shared goal needs be accepted by everyone and can’t be dictated. People are usually more committed when they are involved in the process.

The people you lead need to trust you when…

• defining milestones
• delegating work
• reacting on unpredictable events

Your trust in them will unleash the creativity and potential of your people.

Define your values

While goals direct into the future, values determine the here and now. Goals are set, values are lived. Goals make a kick-off, values keep the ball rolling and provide a purpose.

If your values are not clear and consistent enough, you communicate: Everything is negotiable.

You weaken the purpose of your people’s work. If everything changes at the moment’s notice, how will you make sure the people trust in the long-lasting purpose of their work?

For that reason, the values of an organization or a team member should have first priority.

The next article will deal with the beavers and how they are given freedom to move.

Related posts
Value
Worldview
Self-Awareness
Window & Mirror

This blog in German at www.stefanhaensch.de