Several years ago, I started a blog called Managing Business
Acumen. Though I loved writing it, the
audience never seemed to take root and eventually it fell by the wayside. Yet, here is another attempt. Why?
What is that motivation that continues to drive me?
There are very simple answers: To be heard; To make a
difference in the lives of others: To promote positive cultures in business. This new blog will pick up where the previous
one left off and once again, I will strive for success. Understanding the underlying thoughts behind
this blog leads to the theme for this post: the complex topic of motivation. While some of us thrive on success or the
lure of it, others are happy to go along, unchallenged, in their daily business
lives. The difference can cause turmoil
in business operations and dissatisfaction among team members. What approaches should a business leader take
to merge these different philosophies and achieve optimal performance?
The first step is to understand the uniqueness of the
team. Every person has their own thoughts
and independent motivations. Successful
leaders will acknowledge and embrace the individualities. The irony is that it is among the easiest of
processes. Casual, yet sincere conversations,
over lunch or coffee build rapport and trust between leaders and team members. Take the time to meet their spouse,
significant other or children. Simple discussions
on topics of past experiences, personal goals and future career paths will
naturally lead to insights on their motivations – motivations which will assist
the leader in securing the success of the team.
Next, as the individual motivations surface, the leader must
ensure the proper alignment of resources.
To keep a dedicated, talented,
upward seeking employee, locked into a front-line position will only serve as
encouragement to seek success elsewhere. If the employee is truly talented and has the
motivation for success, developing a career path will ultimately bring
fulfillment for both the employee, leader and the business. On the reverse side, to have an unmotivated
manager, one who stifles their team or is oppressive with their management
style will serve to demotivate the group.
Just as a leader should uncover positive motivations, discovering
negative motivations – and realigning them accordingly – is just as important.
Finally, the key to lasting success is maintenance. As people age and careers grow, their motivations
change. Understanding motivation is not
just a “one and done.” Career paths need
to be monitored and adjusted accordingly. Even if it is just annually, a leader should
have an ongoing avenue for team members to voice their thoughts on their
personal path as well as hear what is in the future of the business. As life evolves in the outside world, so must life evolve within the organization.
Now, I have covered quite a few topics in this first, short
post. The motivation is to establish a foundation which I will come back to and expand on in future posts. For
now, the take away is that keeping the lines of communication between team
member, leader and business organization leads to trust. Trust that the team member can fulfill their personal
goals and motivations. Trust that if the
employee acts in the best interest of the business, the business will act in
the best interest of the employee. Trust
that success is achievable, no matter how many attempts it may take!
Thank you for joining
me on this renewed journey. Comments and questions are very welcome. For more information on an assessment of your current business functions, please go to my
webpage, www.rdadvisorygroup.com . If
you would like to read my previous blogging efforts, please go to: www.managingbusinessacument@blogspot.com.
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