Keys to Success 1. What motivates you does not equal what motivates the people you are coaching or managing. 2. Stay away from phrases such as “what you need to do is…” This will lead to a feeling of distancing. 3. The easiest thing to do, especially in the spirit of time, is to assume what motivates somebody. There is a tremendous value in asking somebody where they want to end up, or what would they like to be doing. 4. A common approach to finding someone’s goals is to use an assessment tool, which are certainly valuable, yet they should not replace a thoughtful conversation crafting and execution of specific questions. Phrases to Use 1. Being patient and simply asking questions may just trigger the thought process and not immediately provide answers. This may take two or three conversations, yet there’s tremendous value in asking someone where they want to end up or what they would like to be doing more. This leads to greater collaboration and trust between you and the people you’re coaching. 2. You can also use tools such as the Motivator Assessment by FindMojo.com. This assessment identifies 23 attributes of how people like to work. 3. Another thing to understand is people are motivated either intrinsically or extrinsically. People intrinsically motivated are motivated within the job and truly like what they’re doing, so the motivation may exist within the job by adding more skills or knowledge. Someone who’s extrinsically motivated sees what they’re currently doing as an apparatus to get to their next destination. 4. Another area of motivation is how people like to work. People who are independent typically like to work on their own and not in a team or collaborative manner. This is not a bad thing, it’s just a preference. On the other hand, you will have people who are highly collaborative and like to work in a group setting. Asking questions in this area will help you understand how they like to work and potentially where they want to be specific to the intrinsic and extrinsic attributes. Suggestions 1. The major suggestion is to literally have separate conversations with each of your team members at your individual coaching sessions and truly find out what motivates them. A common mistake is managers trying to motivate on their own belief systems, and that sometimes creates discord unnecessarily and unintentionally. 2. The simplest suggestion is to lead with a statement that is strength-based, and it can also be challenging in nature. In your statement, insert the word ‘and right’ afterward and simply insert the words such as, “How do you think an improvement in that area might serve you well specific to your goal of...” (fill in the blank). 3. A major suggestion is to write out these things to create this language as a second innate habit that you can deliver conversationally and fluently. 4. Literally have conversations every quarter specific to each team member’s motivators. Ask them questions such as where they feel like they are progressing and where they feel like there are barriers, and what help they might need. Just asking these questions builds a greater trust, and you have immediately become a leader that’s going to be tough to leave.
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