The Art of Motivating Others

Published: 03 septiembre, 2017 17:08

Last update: 28 julio, 2022 22:56

There are some days in which the places we frequent are filled with people who are immersed in seas of negative emotions. One of them is the workplace. Be it because we’re responsible for a team or are the boss of the company, it is our duty to try to mend those spirits. But, how can you influence others in that way? In order to do so, you need to know the art of motivating others.

Although at first glance it is indispensable for us to focus on ourselves- it would be impossible to try to motivate a team if we’re not motivated ourselves– as the guarantors of the performance of the group, it is always important to pay attention to the emotions that reign within it. Let’s not forget that the motivation of the group is intimately linked to the emotions that predominate in it.

“Getting together is a start. Staying together is progress. Working together is a success.”
-Henry Ford-

Improve the interaction with your team

Do you want to get the best out of the people around you? Do you wish to drive them forward, because you know what they have to offer? Have they slowed down and started taking steps backwards? If so, the predictable result starts moving away from the desired one. A project may be rejected, a family problem may occupy our thoughts at all times…

The art of motivating identifies the difficulties that arise, inevitable in any project, and the ones we must confront. In order for that identification to be possible and precise, good communication is a must. An interaction based on respect, but which stimulates the assertiveness and the expression of opinions.

As bosses, we’re not always going to be right. The people who work for us are able to see how things are evolving from a different perspective. Thus, it’s positive that all opinions be heard, so as to make everyone feel like part of the project. Furthermore, listening to what others have to say or what they think, as managers, will always provide us with different views of the problems that appear. Perspectives which we, from a higher level, would never have thought of.

Motivating is done “on the spot”

Does it make any sense to scold a child for something mischievous he did yesterday? In regards to the art of motivating, the same thing applies. The motivating should take place at the exact moment in which it is needed. Thus, as the ones responsible for the team, we must always be on the lookout for those brief instances in which our intervention as motivators could have the biggest effect.

“Motivation is the gasoline of the brain.”
-Anonymous-

Keep your eyes peeled, otherwise you won’t be able to tell what’s working and what’s not. Give verbal reinforcement to the things you think require it, and give written reinforcement so that there will be a record of it. Keep in mind that establishing a type of record will help your team honor the steps you’re taking and will highlight what it has cost you to reach a certain goal. This will have a positive effect on the team’s motivation as well as your own.

Give others space

Motivating is not the same as pressuring. Sometimes we confuse these two terms, and that’s why we don’t obtain the results we expected. As the boss of a team, you’re the one who is responsible for dictating the steps that need to be taken. You set the guidelines that must be taken into account and the pace in which you must all work in order to achieve the established objective.

Once all of this is clear, you need to give the people in your team some space. Allow them to establish their own work pace, meeting deadlines in a way that fits them. Allow them to put in some effort and keep their spirits up. Check in and aid them with whatever they get stuck in, but without putting excessive pressure on them by constantly reminding them what should already be done.

A team works towards a common goal, and each one of its members should be responsible for their own tasks. If you, as a worker, know what you have to do and you have an assignment, you’ll likely feel motivated. However, if in addition to all of that responsibility, the person in charge also suffocates you. If they remind you of the deadlines, harasses you with constant questions about the progress, doesn’t point out the good things and only fixates on the negative… that will demotivate you, as a worker.

Take creative measures

Physical and mental exhaustion can be counterproductive in the art of motivating. That’s why it’s necessary that you wring out your mind and also allow for some rest simultaneously. Because, oftentimes, work becomes a torture. But, by simply managing our mental energy appropriately, we can manage to even make it a fun experience. In order to reach this point, it’s a must to gild creative little pills that will allow us to have fun on the job. Of course, without leaving aside the responsibility it entails.

What can we do about it? A good example is to take a 10-minute break, leave aside everything you’re doing and get a cup of coffee. You’re the boss of the team, and you know the team’s performance won’t lower due to a moment of relaxation. The exact opposite, actually. Letting go and clearing your mind is very positive. It allows us to liberate tension, interact and laugh with each other, which we surely needed.

Another creative measure might be to propose a round of jokes and stories for 5 minutes, or a short power nap. You don’t even need to go anywhere. At your own desk, at your workplace, you will allow yourself a fun and spontaneous rest in order to recover your strength and feel revitalized. This habit, if put into practice correctly, will also offer a good group environment and will give us information on how each one of the members feels, beyond the aspects of work.

“It doesn’t matter how many times you make a mistake or at what speed you progress. You’re still so much further ahead than the people who don’t even try.”
-Tony Robbins-

Happy team, happy boss

Communicate with the team. Show interest in the things that happen to the people who make up your team. Give them space and break schemes. This is all very important in the art of motivating others. What’s our objective? That you be able to have fun with something that requires a great deal of seriousness and commitment. It seems impossible, but it’s actually not. These little recommendations will help your team, and you in particular, be prepared to tackle your next project with all of your strength.

There are some days in which the places we frequent are filled with people who are immersed in seas of negative emotions. One of them is the workplace. Be it because we’re responsible for a team or are the boss of the company, it is our duty to try to mend those spirits. But, how can you influence others in that way? In order to do so, you need to know the art of motivating others.

Although at first glance it is indispensable for us to focus on ourselves- it would be impossible to try to motivate a team if we’re not motivated ourselves– as the guarantors of the performance of the group, it is always important to pay attention to the emotions that reign within it. Let’s not forget that the motivation of the group is intimately linked to the emotions that predominate in it.

“Getting together is a start. Staying together is progress. Working together is a success.”
-Henry Ford-

Improve the interaction with your team

Do you want to get the best out of the people around you? Do you wish to drive them forward, because you know what they have to offer? Have they slowed down and started taking steps backwards? If so, the predictable result starts moving away from the desired one. A project may be rejected, a family problem may occupy our thoughts at all times…

The art of motivating identifies the difficulties that arise, inevitable in any project, and the ones we must confront. In order for that identification to be possible and precise, good communication is a must. An interaction based on respect, but which stimulates the assertiveness and the expression of opinions.

As bosses, we’re not always going to be right. The people who work for us are able to see how things are evolving from a different perspective. Thus, it’s positive that all opinions be heard, so as to make everyone feel like part of the project. Furthermore, listening to what others have to say or what they think, as managers, will always provide us with different views of the problems that appear. Perspectives which we, from a higher level, would never have thought of.

Motivating is done “on the spot”

Does it make any sense to scold a child for something mischievous he did yesterday? In regards to the art of motivating, the same thing applies. The motivating should take place at the exact moment in which it is needed. Thus, as the ones responsible for the team, we must always be on the lookout for those brief instances in which our intervention as motivators could have the biggest effect.

“Motivation is the gasoline of the brain.”
-Anonymous-

Keep your eyes peeled, otherwise you won’t be able to tell what’s working and what’s not. Give verbal reinforcement to the things you think require it, and give written reinforcement so that there will be a record of it. Keep in mind that establishing a type of record will help your team honor the steps you’re taking and will highlight what it has cost you to reach a certain goal. This will have a positive effect on the team’s motivation as well as your own.

Give others space

Motivating is not the same as pressuring. Sometimes we confuse these two terms, and that’s why we don’t obtain the results we expected. As the boss of a team, you’re the one who is responsible for dictating the steps that need to be taken. You set the guidelines that must be taken into account and the pace in which you must all work in order to achieve the established objective.

Once all of this is clear, you need to give the people in your team some space. Allow them to establish their own work pace, meeting deadlines in a way that fits them. Allow them to put in some effort and keep their spirits up. Check in and aid them with whatever they get stuck in, but without putting excessive pressure on them by constantly reminding them what should already be done.

A team works towards a common goal, and each one of its members should be responsible for their own tasks. If you, as a worker, know what you have to do and you have an assignment, you’ll likely feel motivated. However, if in addition to all of that responsibility, the person in charge also suffocates you. If they remind you of the deadlines, harasses you with constant questions about the progress, doesn’t point out the good things and only fixates on the negative… that will demotivate you, as a worker.

Take creative measures

Physical and mental exhaustion can be counterproductive in the art of motivating. That’s why it’s necessary that you wring out your mind and also allow for some rest simultaneously. Because, oftentimes, work becomes a torture. But, by simply managing our mental energy appropriately, we can manage to even make it a fun experience. In order to reach this point, it’s a must to gild creative little pills that will allow us to have fun on the job. Of course, without leaving aside the responsibility it entails.

What can we do about it? A good example is to take a 10-minute break, leave aside everything you’re doing and get a cup of coffee. You’re the boss of the team, and you know the team’s performance won’t lower due to a moment of relaxation. The exact opposite, actually. Letting go and clearing your mind is very positive. It allows us to liberate tension, interact and laugh with each other, which we surely needed.

Another creative measure might be to propose a round of jokes and stories for 5 minutes, or a short power nap. You don’t even need to go anywhere. At your own desk, at your workplace, you will allow yourself a fun and spontaneous rest in order to recover your strength and feel revitalized. This habit, if put into practice correctly, will also offer a good group environment and will give us information on how each one of the members feels, beyond the aspects of work.

“It doesn’t matter how many times you make a mistake or at what speed you progress. You’re still so much further ahead than the people who don’t even try.”
-Tony Robbins-

Happy team, happy boss

Communicate with the team. Show interest in the things that happen to the people who make up your team. Give them space and break schemes. This is all very important in the art of motivating others. What’s our objective? That you be able to have fun with something that requires a great deal of seriousness and commitment. It seems impossible, but it’s actually not. These little recommendations will help your team, and you in particular, be prepared to tackle your next project with all of your strength.