Learn How to Motivate Your People by Learning What Motivates Your People

When company growth is at the core of a leader’s heartfelt desires, it is necessary to get employees on the same wavelength. It is possible, even when change and growth goals are ambitious, to inspire employees to put forth their best efforts.

Of course, the most important consideration for leaders is to determine what lies at the root of an individual employee’s motivation to do his or her best work consistently and constantly.

Identifying and cultivating this underlying motivation is critical to company success, not just among new hires, but also among current employees.

To get at the core of what motivates an individual employee, consider asking these questions of all individuals you want in your employee family:

Why did you choose to create a career in this industry?

What people in your life helped influence you to choose a career in this industry? What about them motivated you? How is your thinking similar to theirs? How is it different?

While growing up what people in your life influenced you to choose a career in this industry? What about them motivated you? How is your thinking similar to theirs? How is it different?

Birds of a feather flock together. By understanding the people that current employees and future employees “flock” with, you gain greater insight into their motivations.

Do their motivations align with whom you want for people in your organization?

Can you match job activities to satisfy the motivations of current and new team members?

You can continue to conduct business as usual by asking yourself “How do I motivate people to do X-Y-Z?” Or, you can eliminate the guesswork and actually learn what motivates them by asking directly, “What do you need in order for me to support you to do your best work?”

The choice is yours!