Leaders, This Is How You Motivate High-Performing Teams
We all know that motivation is a powerful driver for team performance. Historically, we’ve been quite familiar with the "carrot and stick" approach, where managers aim to shape their team’s behaviours and results through external rewards and penalties. However, this method has become outdated, failing to keep up with modern ways of working and processes.
In today’s work environment, self-motivation is highly valued and often seen as the main ingredient for innovation. It fosters creativity and grants the freedom to explore new ideas. To help your teams grow into high-performing units, it's important to create an environment where they can be highly motivated to thrive by engaging in work they find meaningful and fulfilling.
Understanding What Drives Motivation
To keep up with the needs of today's creative and innovative work situations, you need to tap into what drives people from the inside. This idea, which was made popular by Daniel Pink in his book "Drive", boils down to three main components: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.
Autonomy
Autonomy refers to the desire for self-direction, which highly encourages engagement rather than mere compliance. People are naturally more motivated when they feel in control of their actions. After all, humans are more motivated to do something they choose to do, rather something they’re told to do
Autonomy encourages creative thinking and innovation. A prime example of this is Google's policy allowing employees to spend 20% of their time on any project they choose, leading to the creation of highly successful products like AdSense and Google News.
Mastery
Mastery, defined as the relentless pursuit of self-improvement, not only elevates self-worth and confidence but also plays a critical role in making progress in the workplace. Individuals with a mastery mindset believe in their growth potential and are committed to building themselves through ongoing learning.
Professional athletes are the perfect example for this. Their dedication to mastering their craft through endless practice hours leads them to exceptional performance levels. Their drive to be the best shows just how powerful constant learning and improvements can be.
The same thing applies to the workplace. Having the opportunity to constantly learn and grow means a lot to your team. It helps your team members stay relevant to the industry, and in turn able to bring better expertise to help your business grow too.
Purpose
Purpose is about doing something meaningful and significant. Companies focusing solely on profits without a sense of purpose often face challenges like poor customer service and demotivated employees.
As humans, we want to be part of a bigger picture. We desire to be inspired and have a sense of contributing positively to the world. This is evident in the popularity of Simon Sinek’s "Start with Why" and Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield's marketing approach, emphasising the importance of the experience enabled by a product rather than the product itself.
How to Build an Intrinsically Motivated Team
Now that you understand what fuels motivation, as a leader, it's important to infuse these motivators into your team's everyday life. Building a team that's driven by their own motivation goes beyond just setting targets. It's really about creating a place where everyone feels important, gets what's happening, and has the chance to give their best.
Let's look at how you can make this happen:
1. Give Clear Purpose
Why does your company exist? What’s your vision and purpose? Paint a very clear picture of how your work can make a difference. Understanding the purpose behind their work means a lot for your team members. When they see the bigger picture and understand how their work fit into it, they're more likely to feel a sense of ownership, pride, and commitment.
This isn't just about communicating the company's goals; it's about connecting these goals with individual aspirations and showing how they align. By doing so, team members can see their work as more than just a task – it becomes a part of a meaningful journey.
2. Set Clear Goals
Goal-setting frameworks such as OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) not only help you set clear and measurable goals but also ensures that these objectives are aligned with the company's vision.
This alignment is essential as it allows team members to see how their individual efforts contribute to the broader company objectives. Clear goals provide direction and a sense of accomplishment as milestones are reached, boosting morale and motivation.
Have a look at my complete guide on OKR to learn more.
3. Encourage Creativity and Autonomy
Once your teams understand their goals, give them room to experiment and be creative in finding out ways to achieve the goal. This approach not only sparks creativity but also fosters a sense of ownership and engagement with their tasks. When team members are given the freedom to explore and experiment, they are more likely to come up with unique solutions and ideas.
This autonomy, however, should be balanced with support and guidance to ensure that their efforts remain aligned with the overall objectives. Encouraging autonomy also builds trust within the team, as it shows confidence in their abilities and judgment.
4. Support Continuous Learning and Mastery
Providing opportunities for professional growth and development is key in maintaining long-term motivation. When your team members feel that they are learning and growing, their engagement and satisfaction increase. This could involve training programs, workshops, mentorship opportunities, or even allowing time for self-directed learning.
Another way to encourage learning is to expand the roles within your team so learning comes naturally. If you present your team members with bigger goals and more complex work, you will also give them room to expand and achieve the goals.
Fostering an environment where continuous improvement is valued not only helps individuals but also brings new skills and knowledge to the team.
5. Recognise and Celebrate Achievements
Schedule time to purposefully recognise achievements, both big and small. This will greatly encourage your team members to continue being motivated, as they feel a sense of pride and achievements. Celebrating successes reinforces the value of their work and boosts morale.
Recognition should be timely, specific, and aligned with the goals and values of the team. This could range from informal acknowledgments in team meetings to formal award systems.
Also remember to celebrate the lessons learned from things that didn’t go as planned. As your team experiments with uncharted territories, there’s bound to be lessons in any outcome, be it positive or negative.
6. Encourage Collaboration and Team Bonding
Fostering a sense of community and collaboration within your team can significantly enhance intrinsic motivation. Just like a sports team, your team can only perform well when all team members feel connected to their colleagues.
They are more likely to contribute positively and support one another. Team bonding activities, open communication channels, and collaborative projects can help build this sense of community.
7. Give Regular Feedback and Support
Constructive feedback, both positive and constructive, is key to keep your team motivated. Regular check-ins, where team members can discuss their progress, challenges, and receive feedback, are crucial for maintaining motivation.
This also provides an opportunity for leaders to offer support and guidance, adapting strategies as needed to ensure the success of the team.
Conclusion
In summary, fostering a high-performing team in today’s dynamic work environment goes beyond traditional motivational strategies. It requires a nuanced understanding of intrinsic motivation – encompassing autonomy, mastery, and purpose.
By creating a workplace that aligns with these principles, you empower your team to not only achieve but also exceed expectations. Remember, the most successful teams are those where each member feels valued, engaged, and connected to a shared vision.
Embrace these strategies, and you'll build not just a team, but a group of driven and creative professionals, all moving towards a common goal.
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Looking for ways to boost your team’s performance? We can help.
Talk to us today to find out how we can provide the right approach for you.
