Firing Up Your Team is a must for successful organizations
Of course, you can’t begin each day like JJ Watt did for the opener of his football season. If you were able to pull that off, it would be unforgettable. But obviously not practical. So what you can you really do?
This is an important issue. That’s because one of the most frequent questions my mentoring clients ask is “How do I motivate my team?”
Consider yourself a mentor. To accomplish that, you need to gain their trust. So take time to get to know them. You wouldn’t trust another person immediately. Neither would they.
As part of your mentoring, learn what they consider their strengths. We love talking about our strengths, so it’s a comfortable discussion. And if you’ve worked together for a while, you can begin with what you see as their top strengths.
Ask what they see as their goals. Best as what they do? Moving up the organization? Avoid assumptions.
Get their take on what gets in their way. This is a major discussion, of course. Ultimately, it comes down to where they need to grow. What they need to learn. And that’s where your mentoring comes in.
Push their limits. Otherwise, they can remain stagnant. Sure, the work will get done, but they could get excited and grow if you push them out of their traditional comfort zone. You want to achieve excellence and not mediocrity. Start with modest opportunities. Small wins.
Ask questions. Lots of them. You’ll better understand what motivates them by learning more about them. As they feel more comfortable with you, they’ll open up about what they want and what holds them back.
Ask how you can help. Always ask this question. If nothing else, they’ll know you’re available to help them succeed.
Brainstorm with your team. We learn from one another. One person’s obstacle may be another. Get the issues on the table. Summarize what you uncovered at the end of the meeting. Schedule a follow up meeting to address each of the obstacles. Assign a point person to probe each topic and lead the discussion.
I’m happy to evaluate how you currently get your people fired up. Having consulted companies for several decades, I’ve discovered many missed opportunities. Many blind spots I can help you with.
Contact me with questions: bob@kaplitz.tv. Firing up your team will make a huge impact on the success of your organization. And your image as a leader.
You can also consider capturing testimonials about the work your team has done. Praise from your clients for your team — including individuals — can motivate in a big way: bringing-testimonials-to-life
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