By Neil Phillips.

The word “motivation” comes from the root word for “motor” or movement and, interestingly, the same root for emotion. As a leader, you can influence others to act and create an environment that taps into personal growth and achievement, but you can’t “motivate” a team member to get up and get going.

As a mentor coach, recognizing that motivation is primarily internal is extremely important. You have an opportunity to support your team member or client to discover their inherent internal cause and then tap into that motivation to become their best.

Listening is the first step in coaching someone to find their motivation. Listen to the words being said and the words not being expressed. Listen for patterns that touch on the emotions that move your client. Listen for the change in tone, pitch, and volume when a team member describes events that affected them or a time when they were “in the zone.” This kind of listening takes a lot of energy, but in a sense, you are the “ears” for your team member as they describe what drives them, what brings them joy, and what causes them to get going.

Asking powerful questions allows your team member to begin to talk about the things that motivate them. Asking, “What is your why?” is not a powerful question because while most people know it, they haven’t articulated it. You, the coach, have an opportunity to allow your team member to describe the feelings, thoughts, and reasons that make up their motivation.

Tapping into the internal drivers will help your team members to stay in touch with their motivation. Reminding them of their unique motives creates an environment of personal growth and achievement. Speaking their strengths to them and encouraging them to spend time thinking about their motivation will support them in staying motivated.

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