How to motivate others
Source: http://humanlinks.com/manres/articles/motivate_others.htm
www.thehumanmatrix.net
Motivation generates success. Therefore we pay attention to motivation. If you are in a leadership role as a manager, chances are you are preoccupied with how to motivate others. We talk about motivation. We read about motivation. Most of us remember salient points about motivational theories. But are we motivated to do anything about it? What can we do? Can we motivate others? The answer seems to be that we cannot motivate others, but we can create conditions for people to motivate themselves.
This practical guide explains six easy-to-use principles for motivating others and contains three tables with specific advice for EVERYONE ELSE.
MOTIVATION COMES FROM WITHIN
The most important thing to keep in mind about motivation is that we cannot motivate others. Motivation comes from within-people motivate themselves. The only thing a supervisor, a manager, or anybody else can do is to create the conditions for people to motivate themselves.
SIX PRINCIPLES FOR MOTIVATING OTHERS
1. Positive thoughts motivate.
2. Enjoyment motivates.
3. Feeling important motivates.
4. Success motivates.
5. Personal benefits motivate.
6. Clarity motivates
What can everyone do to Create situations that Motivate?
PRINCIPLES OF MOTIVATION WHAT EVERYONE CAN DO TO MOTIVATE OTHERS
1. Positive thoughts motivate. Compliment people on their success.
2. Enjoyment motivates. Smile. Your enjoyment will be contagious. Demonstrate your pleasure
when people and the team succeed. Participate enthusiastically in social activities such as having coffee or lunch together.
3. Feeling important motivates. Ask people for their opinions. Listen intently to what they say. Consider their thoughts carefully. Give credit when you use someone else’s idea.
4. Success motivates. Set clear, reasonable goals for yourself and with others. When you attain
your goals, advertise your success. Compliment individuals on their contributions to the group.
5. Personal benefits motivate. Identify how you can personally gain from an activity. Keep these benefits in mind. Evaluate your level of success. If you don’t succeed, determine why- so you will know what to do to succeed next time.
6. Clarity motivates. Plan your messages, oral and written. Take time to ensure that you
communicate clearly. Check with others to ensure that they understand what you say.
PERSONALIZED MOTIVATION
Each of us has motivational hot spots. We need to keep this in mind while we try to create situations that motivate others. What motivates you or I may be different from what motivates someone else. Be careful. Don’t force your motivation preferences on someone else. The safest way is to include all six motivational elements in your undertakings. That way you will connect
with everyone’s motivational hot spots.
