Learning to Motivate the People Around You

Yesterday I talked about the importance of self motivation. To take that one step further, let's talk about the ability to motivate others. Nobody succeeds on their own. It's important to have a good team behind you, whether that team is made up of employees, subcontractors or suppliers. Knowing how to get them motivated (and keep them motivated when things start getting tough) is a vital element to your prosperity.

There are hundreds of ways to keep people motivated. The key is in finding what each individual needs. No two people are going to be motivated the exact same way. Some people thrive under soft words and encouragement, others will shamelessly slack until you remind them of the consequences of their actions. It's up to you to observe the people around you, and when one method doesn't work try another tack.

Remember, however, that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. People may respect a manager that cracks the whip, but they're not going to work harder to please them. One mistake that many companies make is discouraging personal attachment between management and employees in the belief that it's going to make it harder for the manager to hand down discipline as needed. It's not up to you to be your employees' best friend, and there will always be people who try to take advantage of any personal relationship you might develop, but on the whole employees respond better to managers they believe truly care about their success.

The key is to find the balance between discipline and compassion. Once you've mastered that you'll have the tools you need to get the best results possible from the poeple around you.