GUEST AUTHOR BLOG: 9 Keys to Creating Self-Motivated High Achievers” by Warren Greshes author of "The Best Damn Management Book Ever: 9 Keys to Creating Self-Motivated High Achievers."
Bill Parcells, former coach of the NY Football Giants had a reputation as a great motivator. One day, at a press conference when asked, “What makes you such a great motivator,” Parcells said, “What makes me such a great motivator is, I only keep self-motivated players. If you’re not self-motivated I cut you.”
You cannot motivate other people. As a motivational speaker, I can get in front of an audience, deliver a fire and brimstone and have them swinging from the chandeliers. But 24 hours later they’re gonna wake up and say, “Who was that guy?” Because that’s external motivation, which is a short term fix.
Long-term motivation comes from within. As a leader, if you want to develop high achieving self-starters you need to give your people the tools and techniques that will enable them to motivate themselves.
Here are three ideas on how to install the self-starting generator in your people and create self-motivated staff.
Treat Your People Like Customers: In order to deliver extraordinary quality, service, convenience and value to your external customer, you must first service your internal customer.
It stands to reason, if you treat the people who report to you as you would like them to treat your clients and customers, your level of service and therefore your business, will increase.
Probe for Needs: In Sales 101, we are told that if we probe for our clients wants and needs, find them and fill them on a consistent every day basis, we will develop long-term, loyal clients. If we do the same thing for our internal clients we have a good chance of developing long-term loyal staff.
Most people are not self-motivated because they themselves don’t know what motivates them. They have no goals or plans for their lives or careers. Therefore, they’re working to help make the company more successful, not themselves: That’s de-motivating.
I’ve often had business leaders say to me, “If I could only find the right button to push on this person.” The problem is: It’s impossible to find the right button on someone who has no buttons.
One of your most important jobs as a leader is to help your people “find their buttons.” Sit down with each of your people, individually, and help them put together a set of goals and plans detailing what it is they want to achieve out of their lives and careers, much like you do for your company or clients.
"Most people are not self-motivated because they themselves don’t know what motivates them. They have no goals or plans for their lives or careers."
Then show them how to use the job as a vehicle toward getting them what they want. Now they’re working for themselves. They’re working harder and coming in every day with a great attitude, because they understand that every day they come to work and do well, they’re getting that much closer to what THEY want.
“Give them more money that will motivate them”: Money is not a motivator! No one wakes up in the morning and says, “I can’t wait to get to work today, because they pay me well.” Money is not something that makes you love your job; it’s something that stops you from hating your job. Money is a vehicle that allows you to live the type of life style you choose to live.
What’s really needed is for you to help your people answer this question: “How do I want my life to look?” Once they do that, they can figure out how much money they need to support that life style. Then, it’s up to you, as the leader, to show them what they have to do to earn that amount of money. Now they’re not working for the money, but the defined life style the money will bring, and you have created a self-motivated, self-starter.
These are just three of the many tips, ideas and action steps you’ll learn when you read my book, “The Best Damn Management Book Ever: 9 Keys To Creating Self-Motivated High Achievers.”My goal is to help you create a staff of people who are so self-motivated that you’ll be able to say, “I have no idea why I come to work every day. My people are so productive it doesn’t matter whether I’m here or not.
Warren Greshes is an internationally acclaimed professional speaker and author of The Best Damn Sales Book Ever. Known as "America's Business Improvement Speaker," he is the President of Speaking of Success. He shares the skills and goal-setting methods that have brought him success as an executive, business owner, and speaker. His corporate clients include Bridgestone/Firestone, Hewlett-Packard, CNET, and Coca-Cola. For more information and to contact the author, please visit www.Greshes.com.
Email me at bullishonbooks@cnbc.com — And follow me on Twitter @BullishonBooks