As an educator and consultant, I have had the opportunity to work with many people from different industries. The concepts behind motivation are consistent, no matter what business you are in.
Is employee moral low in your office? Is there room for improvement in productivity? Are good employees leaving your organization? I am sure that you will agree with me that motivation is important to success.
Why motivate? Motivation is necessary in any business for growth and continued success. Everyone has got to have some reason to perform well. When energy is positive, business is positive.
What motivates you? Money, job satisfaction, flexibility, balance between work and personal life, and recognition are among common answers (not necessarily in this order). People are all called to action by different motivators. Determining these motivators is important, and in order to truly understand what motivates your team you must ask them.
Briefly I would like to touch on one way that you can incorporate motivation into your organization and notice immediate results. As a bonus, this technique is also free and needs only to be taken action upon to reap the many benefits. The technique is to implement recognition into your regular daily routine, which has tremendous results.
An article, published in late 2005, in The Globe and Mail revealed that employees would prefer regular, positive and genuine recognition for their contribution to an organization over lush Christmas and year-end parties, and even bonuses.
Recognition is the cheapest but most effective way to motivate people. People feel good about their employment when they are recognized in a positive and genuine way. This is not only a technique for leaders; everyone can get on the recognition bandwagon and begin creating an environment that is positive, appreciative and respectful.
You can build regular recognition into your organization by offering meaningful acknowledgement for a job well done, a favour, good support, or sharing of expertise. Encourage repeat actions by being specific about what was done. For example, “Thank you, Monica. All of the information you shared with Karen to assist her with learning a new skill really benefits our whole team, and we appreciate the attention that you have dedicated to this.”
When you catch people doing something right, they feel good about their involvement and employment. Very few people offer simple words of thanks in person, by email or by note, let alone offer positive recognition and acknowledgement. For those who do, the payoff is terrific.
When you give constructive (negative) feedback, it will seem well balanced if you also offer positive feedback regularly. People remember how you make them feel. When you catch someone doing something right, you create a positive lasting impression. When was the last time someone offered you positive reinforcement for your service? How did you feel when you received that recognition? I’ll bet you felt great.
People who feel good about themselves, produce good results and we know that attitude directly affects performance. The importance of personal leadership skills can make or break a team’s ability to perform well together, thereby directly affecting your bottom line in business. While these skills typically aren’t taught during school grades or post secondary education, they are the multipliers of performance. If you or your team could use a lesson in recognition and teamwork, then there is no better time than the present to implement recognition practices that will enhance performance.
I have always believed that “People are hired for their technical skills, but fired for their lack of personal leadership skills.” Good people are worth keeping, and they will help you achieve your business goals if the lines of communication are open and honest.
While much of this is common sense, it is not necessarily common practice. Make time during your day to recognize a job well done and see how its’ impact fosters success in many facades.
I empower you to create a motivating environment with recognition!