5 great tips on How to motivate your team

The ability to motivate is what transforms a leader into a high performance business adventurer. Motivation comes from within individuals but leaders do play a significant role in influencing motivation. Everyone one of us is motivated, and de-motivated, by different factors and what works for one person may not work for another. To motivate is to pump people up. It aims people toward a goal and then fires them toward it like a rifle shot.

Too often, the people listening do not share the courage of the leader who is doing the pumping and aiming. When the pump's away, the people deflate. More people need to be lifted up than pumped up. This is what inspiration does. The real challenge for the business adventurer is to identify what motivates team members and take steps to provide that factor.

The challenge is further compounded as individual motivators change through their life and as external influences are applied. It is a useful practice to regularly seek feedback from team members on what motivates or de-motivates them. Here are 5 great motivation tips

1 - Be motivated yourself As a leader your behaviour has a big impact on your team. Being motivated will transcend to your team and encourage them to achieve higher levels of performance.

2 - Select people who are motivated
If you can, select those who are motivated. A team of self motivated individuals will invariably achieve higher levels of performance and results.

3 - Set realistic and challenging goals
People generally strive to achieve what is expected of them. If you set challenging achievable goals your team will work hard to accomplish them.

4 - Recognise progress
When your team achieves an important milestone share the success collectively. This enhances team cohesion and provides inspiration and forward momentum.

5 - Give recognition
Catch team members doing something right and ensure that you communicate the fact to them and others. This can in the form of an award, a notice in a company newsletter, or an email or telephone call to them.