Do you often feel as though teams drift apart like so many other relationships?
Why do teams transition from successful, productive and inspirational to dismal, lethargic and mediocre?
Like all relationships, Teams need motivation to continue positive behaviour. Positive behaviour is a direct result of the morale of your team; if your team’s morale is strong and the members on your team believe in the foundation, the relationships will be healthy, strong and extra ordinary.
All relationships are like bank accounts. If we invest in our accounts we grow our wealth, if our account becomes bombarded with withdrawals while no deposits are being made, we lose our assets. The same principle applies for team relationships.
In order for Managers, Supervisors and Leaders to expect positive results and productivity, Leaders must invest in the morale of their teams. By consistently motivating and boosting your team’s morale, you will be able to ask more of your team when the road is long and rocky. This fundamental exchange and investment is the key to building team loyalty and retention.
How can I invest??? There are no cookie cutter methods to stimulating morale, as all teams have unique dynamics. There are many different techniques and styles when building morale and the key is to observe and analyse who your team is and what they stand for.
Many Leaders spin their wheels when motivating because they are not correctly identifying the needs of their teams. In order to see immediate results and solutions, analysis of your team’s needs is the first step towards building the team of your dreams.
Below you will see a chart that indicates the four common areas of motivation: Profit, Internal, Influence and Recognition. If Leaders analyse and study their workforce using this tool, it will help focus your areas of team investment.
When motivated by Profit, this chart suggests that you strive for success with money, possessions, acquisitions, wealth, income and growth placing value on stability, security and luxury.
If your workforce is motivated by Profit, this will prove to be a team driven partnership. In order to receive profit, it must be earned.
The Profiteer will understand this concept thoroughly and will be keen to participate in its growth if shown the potential. Failing to showcase opportunity for monetary growth may demonstrate a lack of potential or stimulation resulting in a bored team member.
The Internal motivator suggests that you are motivated by internal factors such as morals, duty, intellect, creativity, philanthropy and honour placing value on giving, social responsibility and growth for all.
If your workforce is fuelled by Internal motivation, placing keen emphasis on the big picture and interdependency will be key. When the Internal is aware of their surroundings and their effect, impact and role on that situation, they become aware that their productivity creates success. Without highlighting their role and importance, they will not understand the overall goal. This clearly leads to the potential for confusion and feelings of lack of importance on the task.
Influence is a motivator that primarily focuses on power, control, competition, independence and order; value is placed on autonomy and creativity to exert their infinite potential. Freedom and the elimination of micro management will jumpstart this team to work to their fullest potential. If those motivated by Influence are confined and constricted they will not work to their potential becoming easily demoralised.
Another quadrant describes people who are motivated by Recognition. All people enjoy being appreciated, however if your staff’s key motivator is Recognition focused, their leaders will need to focus on being extremely present with their workforce.
Those motivated by Recognition value respect, admiration, regard, esteem, notoriety and celebrity. Finding ways to showcase the staff that are charged by recognition will boost their esteem and motivate them to perform to a higher level.
This behaviour will drive their hopes of receiving more recognition. If these people fail to be recognised, they can deflate easily and become lethargic and tired frequently resulting in turnover.
When we understand what motivates people, we can customize our incentives, activities and applications to specifically meet our workforce’s needs. The result is increased productivity, profitability, energy, results and loyalty. By using this tool you will be able to identify the LOVE!
For assistance in finding your LOVE, please contact Advance Corporate Training Ltd. at 604.521.5473 or events@actraining.com for more information on upcoming Leadership, Motivation, Management and Retention Programs.
