By Dana Phillips.
One of the top questions we get asked is, “How can I motivate my team?” We almost always answer, “you really can’t motivate them because motivation is internal.” The etymology of the word “motivate” goes back over six hundred years to Latin, meaning “that which inwardly moves a person to behave a certain way.”
In recent years, many leadership experts like Christopher Avery have written about motivating others. He does a great job describing the best way to motivate someone is to find what moves that person to action. A recent blog post, Stop Trying to Motivate Others, really resonated with me. He suggests, as we do, that we tap into the internal reasons people are motivated.
Most people know what they want, but may not be able to articulate their “why.” Some great coaching questions help a person to get clarity and begin to pinpoint the “why.”
Here are four great questions to help tap into the “why.”
- What does this accomplishment mean to you?
- How will it feel when you succeed?
- What do you love about your life right now?
- What could you be happy about if you chose to be?
As a leader, you want to understand your team members’ motivations. You can help them find the path that will take them to their goals.
Join Us in January for Advancing Leaders: A Proven System
You can still take advantage of the early registration rate! Advancing Leaders: A Proven System is four sessions (all recorded) that are an hour each. The series takes you through:
- How Do I Inspire Others to Advance?
- How Do I Identify Others to Move Up?
- How Do I Invite Team Members to Leadership?
- How Do I Involve My Future Leaders in Their Success?
We’d normally charge $117 for the series. Your cost is $77 if you sign up before Thursday December 31. The offer is open, and you are welcome to join us. Go to the Team Connections store and sign up! CLICK HERE for the offer.
