10 Simple Strategies to Motivate and Influence your Team and Others

When productivity declines or when you find it difficult to lead your team, here are ten simple strategies to implement to grow influence and improve motivation and engagement. I hope you will find them helpful.

In my  many years of leading others, these are the simple strategies I've implemented and based on unsolicited feedback from my team, these are the very things they want and appreciate.

1. Be clear about your vision, or what you want them to do. A lack of vision hinders initiative, motivation and follow through. People will only follow you if they see the big picture and they know where they are going; and not only that, they won't follow through if they don't know why they are doing what you want them to do. So let them know the ‘what’ and the ‘why’ of your team and their assignment.

2. Communicate and Clarify the vision regularly. So, let's say you've communicated the vision; that is not enough. You have to make it clear in a language your team understands, and you have to communicate it regularly. Not only do you need to remind yourself of your vision, you need to remind your team regularly. So if you're wondering why people are not taking initiative or doing what you expect of them, it's likely that they haven't grasped the vision.  The greatest problem with communication is the illusion that it has already happened.

3. Create a growth environment for them. Investing in and adding value to your team in some form helps them to improve, grow and become better. They become empowered and develop mindsets and attitudes that make them more responsible. A growth environment is an environment where there is training, coaching opportunities, and creation of a space where employees are more productive based on their motivators (Our DISC workshop and assessments provide the tools to help you determine everyone's motivations).  

4. Lead by example. People do what people see. If you live by the old adage, "Do as I say, not as I do" you are kidding yourself. You have to model what you want to see in your team. Simple as that!

5. Do not betray their trust. If you do not keep your promises, if you’re not implementing strategy no. 4, and if you are not a person of integrity, it will be hard for your team to do what you want them to do. For example, what responses have you provided, or what solutions have been implemented based on your team's feedback and issues raised? Trust is increased when there is a track record of results, no matter how small. 

When you stop listening to your team, they will start disengaging subconsciously.

6. Release them from their weaknesses. If you keep having your team members do something they are not skilled at, you won't get results. You will have a discouraged, unhappy, and unmotivated team member who can't produce for the organization. Take time to know the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and assign them with opportunities accordingly.

7. Sincerely appreciate them. You know that what is not appreciated tends to be misused or abused. When you don't appreciate your team and show it, you are not likely to get more out of them. Provide positive feedback from time to time and don't wait till the yearly performance reviews.

8. Set them up for success. When you don't give your team the tools, guidance and resources they need to do what you want them to do, you are not likely to get them to perform the way you want them to. Listen to your team, what do they really need to do their jobs better? What kind of training can you send them to? How can you change your procedures so that they do not keep making the same mistakes?

9. Believe in them and encourage them. People do get tired and discouraged from time to time. Your encouragement and belief in them might just be the boost they need to get going and produce the results you want from them.

....and most importantly,

10. Have a relationship with them. It is hard to get any response from anyone you don't have a relationship with. The “know, like and trust” factor comes into play here. If you and your employees don't "know" each other it will be hard for them to listen to you and really perform the way you want them to. Have you connected with each team member? Do you know what they’re feeling? What they’re going through? What they really want? When they know that you care, they will be more motivated to perform, take initiatives and achieve results.

Please check out some of our Leadership Programs or ask us about facilitating our 9 Steps to Improve Employee Performance Round Table with your leadership team.