Rolling Up Your Sleeves

Time to dig in and start lifting. When we are looking at a new leadership opportunity it’s incredibly exciting. As you scan the new faces of those you’re about to lead you’ll want to kick it all off in a big way. You’re already thinking of some kind of endeavor to motivate those under your charge or account. Please, heed some advice from Colonel Candid about how you start this journey of motivation before diving in.


The problem you’ll soon realize is that people are motivated by vastly different measures. This means you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and get to know those you lead. Not everyone reacts to your attempt to get them fired up the same way. Here are a couple of things you can think of when individuating your endeavor:


-          TRUST THEM. There’s nothing like a boss who has your back. It’s so awesome to know when you have the full faith and confidence of your leader. So if warranted, do the same because your trust is a reward all of it’s own.


-          PURPOSE AND MEANING. It goes a long way to understand what drives your employees. Pay attention to that and feed them with the purpose towards solving the problem or achieving the goal. Work to show them the bigger picture.


-          TRANSPARENCY IS KEY. Consistent and continual feedback. Not everyone is going to agree with every decision you make but by letting them hear it from you, it goes a long way.


-          LEAD BY EXAMPLE. You know when you see the boss digging in the trench beside you, it’s inspiring. Understand, when possible, you should be there too!


-          SEEK FEEDBACK AND REWARD IT. You’ll have times when you have those small indicators that something just isn’t right.  Pay attention to that and ask lots of questions. Feedback is critical to building a great team.


Through this process you’ll see what works and what doesn’t. Like how you’ve mapped out a route or a destination, motivation is not a one size fits all. Motivation is more than just a pat on the back. You can do this with deliberate thought and recognition of what’s important. In the end recognizing the greatness in others, helps you to find it in yourself.

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