But I don’t have any money… How can I possibly motivate my staff?
Can we motivate without money? Never mind that money, for most of us, isn’t much of a real motivator anyway… can we?
Sure, it’s simple — use your leadership skills and lead. Some tips to consider…
- Be honest and become really trustworthy. Do what you say you’ll do.
- Remember always: You are not responsible for a person’s happiness.
- Give praise promptly and specifically when it is due.
- Root out poor management; it’s a huge drain on staff morale, adversely affecting business performance.
- Address poor/non-performance quickly, fairly and unemotionally.
- Give your team flexibility, and the room to do their work. Not many people work better with micro-management…
- Create a compelling, energizing vision of your future.
- Send handwritten notes. Thank yous, Birthdays, Company Anniversaries, or simply for motivation and/or encouragement.
- Remind people that you — their leader — are there, and there for them.
As a leader, you motivate most, and most significantly, by leading. Do that first.
But that’s just me…
