How To Motivate People Without The Jedi Mind Sh!t
“Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it’s the only means.”
Albert Einstein said some wise things in his day.
NONE wiser than this.
No Jedi Mind Tricks, or other manipulation required.
Despite his complex brain, Einstein nails this SIMPLE key to influencing on the head.
Here’s a more recent idea from Lead to Succeed author Chris Roebuck:
“The key to getting your employees to give high performance is to understand what motivates them.”
Is this one man’s opinion or is it the truth?
Consider these 3 things and decide for yourself -
There’s a strong and clear link between motivation and performance. (See any Employee Engagement survey)
Intrinsic motivation is stronger than external motivation. (Compare your motivation for a personal goal vs. goal that was given to you)
Direct manager plays a large role in employee’s motivation. (80% of the emotional factor in the decision, according to the book)
As every People Manager knows, what motivates one person can differ greatly from what motivates another.
One of your direct reports might dream of climbing Mt. Everest while another isn’t interested in mountains at all.
Roebuck believes that the secret to understanding the needs of others is “asking questions to uncover the truth”.
Is it that simple?
I think so.
5 Ways To Uncover The Truth
It’s no different for motivation.
If there is no open feedback culture in your team, for example, DO NOT expect a direct report to be open.
Taking Mr. Roebuck’s science into consideration, here are 5 smart and simple ways to motivate others WITHOUT manipulating tactics:
1) Listen first, talk second.
As we know from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, if you wish to be understood, you have to “seek first to understand”.
Didn’t Yoda also say this?
DO THIS: Before you give feedback to a direct report, give them a chance to give you feedback.
DON’T DO THIS: Give someone feedback about something before you know how they feel about it.
2) Pay attention to their words and body.
Body language often speaks louder than words.
DO THIS: If someone with closed body posture tells you they feel good about a decision, don’t believe them. Dig deeper.
DON’T DO THIS: Assume they are telling you everything about how they feel.
3) Ask a question at the right time.
To get to the real, underlying issue, the timing has to be right.
DO THIS: When someone shows a lack of motivation about a decision, press in to their thoughts and feelings to “uncover” their true feelings. OR, give them more time.
DON’T DO THIS: Interpret silence as their buy-in.
4) Get to know their goals & aspirations.
Treat people like people, not compliant machines.
DO THIS: To “uncover” hidden motivators, ask about things beyond work. For example, if one of your direct reports is socially active outside of work, co-create a social initiative for them to lead in your team.
DON’T DO THIS: Treat them like employees with the same goals and ideas as you or management.
5) Find out what inspires them and tailor your words and actions, accordingly.
DO THIS: If someone is motivated by socially active leaders, talk about Jane Goodall, not Jeff Bezos.
DON’T DO THIS: Base your strategies on what motivates you. OR, what you think will motivate them.
The BOTTOM LINE for all of these:
Do NOT assume anything.
Here’s the BEST part of each -
No training. No costs. NO manipulation.
All that is required is a commitment to pay attention to the people around you.
Simply ask smart questions and listen to what they say.
Take Action Now
The next time you’d like to motivate someone to bring their best performance to a task, remember these 3 things –
If people feel you value their goals, they’ll be motivated to help you with yours.
Asking questions is the key to understanding someone’s needs and goals.
The more you tailor your words and actions to their needs and goals, the more influence you have.
For tips and strategies to grow your communication impact, pick up my Ebook on Kindle, Impact to Influence.
Thanks for reading!
Tim
P.S. To improve your ability to inspire and motivate people, drop me a note and we’ll fix a time to talk.