How do YOU motivate your employees? Do you even know what motivates them? Different people are motivated by different things. Some people have a number of things that motivate them, while others focus on only one. The point is, it’s your job as a leader/manager to help your employees figure out what motivates them so that the two of you can use that knowledge to optimize the employee’s performance.
Why does any of this matter? Very simply, it matters because everything that we do – from the simplest to the most complex – we do for a reason. This means everything at work as well as everything outside of work. So how do you figure out what motivates others? It’s simple – take the time to talk to your people. This is why it’s so important to coach and develop your employees. It doesn’t mean hours of one-on-one. Ten to fifteen minutes will be plenty of time.
Keep in mind that some employees may not even completely understand what it is that truly motivates them. This is a perfect opportunity to help them figure it out. 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. While for some motivation will come in the form of a paycheck, others look for personal satisfaction of a job well done or the recognition of others. Pay attention to what each employee is saying to you, and remember that you may have to read between the lines to hear the real message.
