Cultivate Employee Motivation
Motivation supports the desire to strive toward meaning and purpose and is one of the driving forces behind human behavior. Motivation bolsters a healthy outlook on life. The lack of motivation can lead to lethargy, indifference and sadness.
It is natural for motivation to ebb and flow over time. When motivation flows many report feeling energized or “being in the zone.” While a lack of motivation leaves us feeling a bit stuck, stale or anxious.
As a leader, when you notice a coworker’s or an employee’s energy or level of motivation is slumping, provide a boost to their motivation by starting a conversation about something that is important to them and then, listen.
You may want to try one of the four focused conversations described below. These focused conversations have a deliberate topic and keep the conversation on a positive track. The conversations described below take only a few minutes to complete and can provide a benefit for you and your employee or colleague. These conversations can help sustain high morale, improve low morale, and leave you feeling upbeat for having brought a bit of unexpected cheer into your employee’s day.
Tell your employee how they specifically contribute to the team and what that means to the organization. We all want to know that we are unique!
Talk to the employee about a task you know they don't like. Find out why the task is disliked. Understand what they mean. Perhaps do it with them but don't correct their methods. For this conversation you need to be prepared to help improve the disliked task. Wrap up the conversation by asking the employee if they have tried different methods to make it less unpleasant. And finally, can you get rid of the task, give it to someone else (that might like it better)? It is not a great way to end this interaction by implying "well I have heard about this lousy task but hey you are stuck with it!"
If your colleague or employee has a hobby ask about it. Have them explain, if they would like to share photos ask about photos they may have on their phone, and if appropriate, go see it. It is best if you stick to hobbies that don't involve other people. For example, they may be a painter, or restore cars or an avid gardener. People pursue hobbies because it brings them joy. Ask questions, figure out what it is about their hobby that brings them a sense of joy.
Many people spend their free time involved in family activities rather than a specific hobby. This is fine to talk about with the employee but focus more on the activity and less on their family. Asking too many in-depth questions about their family can get weird. Focus on their role in the activity.
4. Introduce your employee or colleague to someone that may help them professionally or may have a shared interest in a hobby or activity. First talk to the employee about it and then you can help set up a meeting. Whether or not you are a part of that first meeting depends on what your employee or colleague wants to do.
“Caring has the gift of making the ordinary special.”