How to Inspire Someone with this Simple Secret
How do you really inspire people? It begins with you. Be inspired to be better in your approach. Then, start with the source: your team, your people, your employees. There are many reasons this all-too-easy and gets bypassed, doubted and ignored. If you ask, you appear to be a great leader. But, if you don’t do anything differently, you are a poor leader. In other words, it comes down to what it always comes down to: CHANGE.
In reality, just inquiring about how to motivate employees can be a leader’s way of pretending she cares. However, when really, she only wants to know if the answer is easy and what she expected. Are you doubting that this could be the case?
Two Examples to Learn From
Well, let me give you two examples, and then I’ll continue. When you were in college, and your professor did a poor job explaining an assignment, would you seek more details? People who care about their grade, will probably ask the professor for clarity and inspiration where it is lacking in order to exceed the expectations. Let me give you one more example. Pretend you’re a bartender, and a couple orders a drink that you don’t recognize. Now, if tips are your only source of income, you are probably going to probe this couple for more details about the drink, so that you can make it how they want it. Right? It’s simple. In any other environment, when we really don’t know the answer to something that we really want to know- WE APPROACH THE ONE WHO KNOWS. It’s a learning process supported by authentic interest and communication. (See this post for more details on authentic communication.)
It’s common sense, too. Now, I don’t mean to sound harsh. I’m not saying every leader does this intentionally. I am simply saying that if you really want to know – it’s going to show by who you ask and how you ask it. You’re going to seek the solution from the right source.
The Simple Secret that Helps Inspire Someone
Want to do this well? Follow these three communication steps.
- Approach the team members that seem to be lacking motivation.
- Tell them that you care and want to do your part in helping them succeed.
- Then, invite them to tell you directly what would be helpful for them.
Start a conversation, so that your team members know that you’re the type of leader that doesn’t pretend to know it all, but does genuinely care about figuring it out together. This approach is inquisitive, collaborative and non-threatening. That’s inspiring way to work with someone. Oh yeah, remember ask with empathy and be a good listener. It’s also really quite simple, in theory, isn’t it? It does require that we leave a few things behind when we approach motivation this way. This particularly means our ego, preconceived ideas and our judgment.
This principle applies to just about any uncertainty in the workplace. If you’re wondering about something, go talk to the person (or people) who knows. Abigail Adams declared, “Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor, and attended to with diligence.”
Also, are you committed to your team’s success? If so, see this complimentary Coaching for Results eBook.
In addition, go here for our RealTime Learning & Training leadership and personal development website. Over 130 micro-learning and career development resources at your fingertips!
Finally, do you want a proven game-plan for your management career
success? If so, check out Rick’s Superstar Leadership Performance Plan.
