Here’s a hint, most leaders have the cart before the horse.
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The Revelation about Motivation: Motivation can’t happen without creating MOMENTUM first. ~from The Momentum Factor
Managers and leaders have wrestled with ways to motivate employees since the industrial revolution. It has been an intense topic of conversation that continues today, favoring workshops and seminars with the dos, don’ts, and how-tos of leadership.
If leaders could understand the mindset behind each employee then motivation could and would happen.
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The liability of lack of motivation reaches deep into organizations. Plain and simple, companies are at risk when they employee people who are not motivated. Without a positive workforce, income potential and customer satisfaction is minimal and companies can, and do, fail due to this one critical factor.
Psychology teaches that both extrinsic and intrinsic factors drive individuals to excel. It is the desire to succeed and/or incentives that provoke someone to do something. If leaders could understand the mindset behind each employee then motivation could and would happen. Behavioral economics now dominates the field with studies on the rationale and willpower explaining why people do what they do.
It seems to me that in all the years of research the perplexity on how to motivate employees would have been figured out by now. Leaders would no longer be considered the weakest link in organizations and job satisfaction and engagement would be on the rise.
So what’s the deal? I call it the Momentum Factor; the understanding that until leadership creates movement and achieves some momentum, it cannot deliver motivation.
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If leadership is in a flat line crises, then more focus should be on reviving its role. The first step in leadership is to know the ultimate goal, and I’m not talking about the goal of the company. I’m asking a deeper question, “What is the ultimate goal of the leader?”
Answer: To have a well-oiled system, a team community that works well, and a process that runs smoothly. That would allow momentum.
But what creates the momentum?
Answer: The mass of the team. Not a sizable measure of quantity, but rather of quality. The quality — or value output — of a team is what creates and measures the momentum. As in physics and The Law of Acceleration; the bigger the mass, the bigger the movement. In other words, the more value that’s alive and well within a team, the more willingly the team will roll.
So how are these values achieved?
Answer: Through the influence of the leader. The team reflects what the leader provides. If the leader supplies positive energy and feeds the team with that value, then the quality of the team will grow.
How do you define these values?
The cultivation of this combination will determine the influence of the leader and the quality of the team output, which facilitates the momentum.
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Answer: Purpose, Direction, and Trust. These are fundamentals of great leadership. Purpose — a personal belief and desire to fulfill the value of the company. Direction — a structured plan that is designed for everyone to win. Trust — authenticity and credibility of the leader. There’s a Golden Rule in sales; people will buy from people they know and trust, and leadership is no different. Team members will follow leaders who they know and trust. When a leader captures trust, valued relationships are built, and desired outcomes are shared.
Moving forward: Purpose, Direction, and Trust are essential leadership skills. The cultivation of this combination will determine the influence of the leader and the quality of the team output, which facilitates the momentum.
Once a machine is oiled then incentives are introduced to keep the machine moving. That is where motivation comes in, as incentives to maintain and increase momentum. Leaders cannot expect to move a machine — I mean a team — that hasn’t been oiled first. Yes, the job of the leader is to inspire and motivate, but the first role of a leader is cultivate an environment where people are able and willing to move.
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Photo: Flickr/meridican