This log has in the past discussed the idea of motivating your employees. Knowing what truly motivates people involves effort on your part. You as the leader/manager must take the time to speak with people on a regular basis. We’re not talking about hours of elaborate sessions, but instead a few minutes on a somewhat regular basis. Listen to what they’re saying, as well as to what they’re not saying. In other words, you may have to read between the lines to get the real message. It’s not because people are trying to be deceitful. Some may simply feel guarded in what they express to their manager, merely wanting to say the “right things”.
While some people may be motivated solely by money, other employees may respond to formal recognition, or may be satisfied simply knowing that they do a great job. Keep in mind that some employees may not even completely understand what it is that motivates them. Taking the time to talk to them gives you an opportunity to help them figure it out.
So how is any of this helpful to you? Once you know what motivates an employee, the two of you can formulate a plan that will optimize his performance and increase his satisfaction. Understanding what motivates someone allows you to offer to him the most effective kinds of rewards. Motivated employees mean better results, which can be translated into things like higher productivity and better goal achievement – something that any manager can appreciate.
