MightyRecruiterSelf-motivation and employee motivation are two totally different things, and employers must understand both in order to run an effective, successful company and provide great products to customers. The one major difference between the two is that an employer can motivate others, but can’t self-motivate others. Basically, you must inspire your employees to be self-motivated on their own. Before you start the process, consider the things that motivate you. What sabotages your personal efforts at motivation? What have you found successful in motivating others? What motivates you to be better and do better at your job? All of the answers to these questions play in to how you successfully teach others to be self-motivated.
Understanding Motivation
Before you can fully implement a practice for both self-motivation and employee motivation, you must understand what exactly motivation is. Motivation can be described in the following ways. – Exhausting every option to change things for the better in your life – 100% of your energy, effort and time goes toward reaching a goal – Personal determination to change unhealthy habits and patterns – Ability to start and move toward a certain goal or objective – External or internal drive that prompts an individual toward a certain action – Overcoming obstacles like stress, boredom or fatigue to meet certain objectives or goals While this is a good general definition of self-motivation and employee motivation, it’s essential to remember that motivation is something different for everyone. While one employee may be motivated by providing great customer service and products, another may need to understand exactly how the company is making a difference in the world. A personal connection with employees and what they value is essential to keeping departments motivated at all times. Your team members must know how they can grow within their positions, where they fit in the company, and that they have the autonomy to make decisions on their own. The trick to being a good leader is clearly understanding and keeping a pulse on both self-motivation and employee motivation.
Relating to the Job
It’s tough to be motivated when you aren’t invested in the cause, or don’t relate to what you are doing. Employees must relate to their job and understand the end goal in order to stay motivated on their own. As an employer, you must find a way to present your case that matches the way the employee is motivated. Design your message in their best interest in order to better motivate them. Employees that see their own value are more likely to be motivated. Giving an employee direction while still allowing the creative freedom that is necessary for innovation is a big part of motivating your employees. They must understand how their job relates to the world, and what they are doing that makes it a better place in ways they care about.
Self-Motivation on a Daily Basis
Motivation is something that will wax and wane throughout the day, and may even change based on the hour. Daily doses of motivation can help to energize and inspire even the most uninspired individual. A quick reminder of what you want to happen, your end goal and what purpose the goal serves in your life can jumpstart your day and get you back on track. When facing a lack of motivation, ask yourself the following questions: – How does this task help my team? – How does this task help me? – How does this task help others in my life? – How does this task make the world better? – How does this task ultimately benefit the company? Even answering one or two of these questions, written down in a daily journal or log can remind you of the purpose behind your task and give you the motivation to keep going, even when you feel like stalling.
Transferring Motivation to Others
While self-motivation and employee motivation go hand in hand, one can be much more difficult than the other. The trick is to increase commitment and buy-in by giving others a sense of purpose. Clearly state the purpose of a project and identify how their part in it will make it better. Both self-motivation and employee motivation are driven by purpose. As projects shift and changes are made to departments, many employers fail to show purpose in every task. When employees recognize that their job has a greater purpose than a paycheck, they are more likely to be invested and motivated in the end product.
We Can Help Improve Employee Motivation
At Mighty Recruiter, we have a long list of resources and tools to help you learn more about motivating your employees, and teaching them how to motivate themselves. Use our technology to improve your employee productivity.