Business Management Tips on Motivation

It’s up to you as a manager to motivate your people, especially in these tough times. So today, ten quick tips on motivation that will help you become a better manager.

Reduce Motivation

Before you can start motivating people you first need to be aware of your own actions. You are the leader of the business so never demean your employees, to their face or to others. These things erode their motivation. So don’t dismissively telling them that their ideas “are stupid.” Be careful of your own words and actions, so that you don’t reduce their motivation instead of increasing their motivation.

People are a Great Resource

The greatest resource of your business are the people working for you. You can have the best high tech equipment available, but without your employees you won’t have a business. You need to treat your employees with same, if not to say with greater, care as your equipment.

More Innovation in your Business

If you want more innovation in your business then you need to let your people know that their employment is secure. You especially need to do this when their job is changing. If people worry about their jobs they tend to find ways to stretch out the work instead of finding ways to things quicker and better.

Listen to Employees

You need to really listen to your employees. They spend their time talking to customers, so they know what the customers want. The employees also see thinks that go wrong in a business and they probably have a solution also. You have spent time and money in finding the best people to work for you, so don’t ignore them and think that you know everything better. It doesn’t make sense, so listen to your employees!

Enthusiasm

When people join you business they are all fired up and ready to do great thing for you business. So try to keep this enthusiasm alive by helping them and listen to their ideas.

Cup of Coffee

Drinking a cup of coffee with your employees can be the best management tool you have. It gives you the opportunity to get to know them and to listen or learn from their ideas. These kinds of informal talks can be a powerful employee motivation tool, besides being fun of course.

In the Loop

People will function better if they are kept in the loop and given straight info. Given direct and straight answers also give them the feeling that they matter. It also can keep rumours to a minimum, which are never good for business and team spirit.

Get your People Involved

Give your employees the opportunity to participate in discussions. Of course, you as a manager have the make the final decisions, but your employees will more likely stand behind a decision if it’s discussed with them, even if they don’t totally agree with it.

Human Approach

Don’t do to others what you don’t want others do to you. So threat your employees with respect, with the same values and of course as humans.

Listen, Listen

Actively listen to your employees, customers, suppliers and anyone who has an opinion about your business. Try to honestly listen to what they are saying. Try to keep out your ego and you will probably learn something that could benefit your business. It also motivates your employees, because people always want to give their input and they want to feel that their opinion matters.