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Employee motivation - how to sustainably inspire your team!

Reading time 5 minutes
Employee motivation - how to sustainably inspire your team!

You have made it! You are in a management position and responsible for various projects. You delegate tasks, expect excellent results but things just don't go smoothly. The projects come to a standstill. There is a lack of Motivation - specifically on employee motivation. Personal initiative seems to be a foreign word for your team and also the effectiveness and efficiency leave a lot to be desired. And yet the sustainable Employee motivation crucial for your success in business.

But watch out! As the boss, you have it in your hands. You can change something about the motivation of your team. Be aware that motivation is based on the pleasure-pain principle. The human being wants to go towards the beautiful and away from the unpleasant. This is natural. You can motivate yourself from the inside, then you want to achieve something from yourself. If you are motivated from the outside, then it is because a reward or a punishment beckons.

Employee motivation: imposing penalties is not effective

But what happens when you motivate with punishment? Imagine you are the boss who spreads fear and terror. Who puts his employees under a lot of pressure. After all, pain is more motivating than pleasure. The team spurts and works, otherwise there's trouble. The goal is achieved. It is easy to imagine that there are managers who apply this principle. But does this result in the ideal motivation concept? No. Negative motivation only lasts for a short time. You won't achieve efficiency or effectiveness with your team by threatening them. After all, you're not giving them a reason to change their behavior! In some situations, you as the boss have to exert pressure, but it's not really fun. You would have to run around with the whip all the time and your team would probably quit one by one. Who likes to work when the boss is giving punishments and threatening with the whip all the time?

A carrot instead of a stick for success?

Of course, as a management position, you can also work with so-called Incentives, rewards work. Many companies use company cars, nights in nice hotels or commissions to give their employees extra incentives. But what happens when the principle of rewards takes on a life of its own and your employees only want rewards? And if there are no bonuses, your employees lose all motivation and only half-heartedly get to work. That can't be it either,

If not stick and also not carrot motivate, how do you find a solution?

Strengthen your team with simple means

It's actually quite simple: try to demotivate as little as possible! Strengthen the Self-motivation of your team. Because you probably know that about yourself, too: If something is fun, you're happy to do it voluntarily and don't need any pressure. Take a close look at your employees. What are their strengths and where are their weaknesses? You work with them and know their talents best. If you know their Find and promote your strengths, you'll get great performance. Individual weaknesses will then not be so important. Self-initiative increases with self-motivation. And that's how it should be.

Employee motivation: Be a good mountain guide

You play a not inconsiderable role in this as the boss. That's easy to explain: Imagine a mountain hike. The entire hiking group is in good spirits, highly motivated and looking forward to climbing the mountain. Actually, a mountain guide should come and explain everything. The one who leads the way and points out the dangers of the hike.

But a mountain driver appears who doesn't allow any fun and throws harsh orders around. Well, whether the team is still motivated after such an announcement? Probably not. Don't be a boss who makes fun of the weaknesses of individuals, mistrusts his own team and tries to push through his interests without mercy. Because that's not how you'll get motivated employees.

Show leadership competence and use pull instead of pressure

Avoid demotivation. If your employees can't act autonomously, they often don't want to work hard on projects. Sounds understandable, doesn't it? Let a pull develop that pulls everyone along instead of building up a lot of pressure that pushes the others down. Good bosses are polite. Remember their names and what they do. Without your employees, your business wouldn't run the way it does now. These little things are also part of employee motivation.

Respectful treatment and a listening ear will earn you respect. Listen to your coworkers and put your ego aside. There is no place for that here. Your job is not to make yourself important, but to let others be important. Even if you like being the boss and have a lot of responsibility - keep your feet on the ground.

Think about your motives why you want to be a boss. Who are you and where do you want to go? What are your strengths and weaknesses, what are your values and what are your incentives? When you can lead yourself, you exude a natural authority! And that motivates your employees more than if you are a dissatisfied, haphazard boss.

Employee motivation: Reaching the goal with milestones and dopamine

And with goals set, you can give meaning to your actions. Effort seems half the battle when you see meaning in action. This releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Your performance is increased. The greater the sense, the better for motivation. The same is true not only for you, but for your team. It's not for nothing that most people like to work best when they are led by "leadership" or "company culture".

As a boss, you have the opportunity to emotionalize your employees. Project Images and let them become reality. Awaken the longing for a beautiful, distant destination. And for everyone to arrive safely at this destination, planning, strategy and project management are required. Plan your way to the goal and set your employees a number of small goals, which will lead to reach you to the goal that was set.

Employee motivation: By setting concrete milestones for your team, you give everyone an overview. It is motivating to have the goal in front of your eyes. If you now delegate your team, you've done it. Distribute tasks based on the strengths of your employees. Communicate at the Delegate simple and clear. This leaves no room for different interpretations, and feel free to ask questions. The basic rule is: treat everyone the way they want to be treated, not the way you think is normal.

And, do you already notice how your inner motivation has increased? Now you can motivate your employees with high motivation and nothing will stand in the way of your success!

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Reviewed by Dr. med. Stefan Frädrich

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