Is Motivation Really the Problem?

Business Leaders are often looking for new and innovative ways to motivate their team members. In our recent Coaching Gold Podcast, Small Business Coach Erin Myers joined us for a discussion on motivation and how working with a coach can help leaders create environments that support employees in finding motivation and drive business success.

Understanding Motivation

Process over motivation.

The first point that Erin emphasized during the podcast is that motivating others is something that leaders spend too much time thinking about and not enough time doing. There is a myth that motivation is to be found before engaging in an activity. The reality is that the act of doing a task is motivation in itself. Psychology today explains that "motivation is the desire to act in service of a goal". Instead of trying to determine how you are going to get your employees excited about doing a task, leaders should focus on

1. Defining what needs to be accomplished.

2. Who is best capable of doing tasks?

3. What support is needed for successful task completion?

What needs to be accomplished?

One of the biggest derailers to motivation is a lack of clarity. Unclear tasks present four primary problems.

1. Unclear objectives and desired outcomes can make it challenging to pick the right employee to do the tasks. 

2. Lack of clarity on how you want tasks to be completed can be the cause of delays, overspends, and other inefficiencies.

3. Poorly defined goals can create anxiety for employees because they are unsure of your expectations.

4. Solutions can be over-engineered when the scope and key requirements are not defined.

Taking time to clarify objectives can help you pick the right person for the job, and ensure that that person understands what they are being asked to do.

Assign tasks based on Team Goals.

Once you have defined the business objective and desired outcome, it is time to determine who should be responsible for the task. With the Power6 Leader model, we teach leaders to use the ACES framework, which is a standard for assessing who should do the tasks based on the greater good of the team, communicating your expectations, empowering the employee to do the work, and supporting them along the way.

 When assessing who to assign tasks to, we encourage you to understand employees' strengths, competencies, and frustrations. The Working Genius Assessment can be a helpful tool as you strive to understand better what type of work your employees find motivating. Both Dorian and Erin use this tool to help leaders better understand their employees and how realigning roles and responsibilities can unlock greater productivity.

Employee motivation sours when employees spend more time working within their strengths. The increased motivation comes from their needs being fulfilled. Humans desire safety, community, recognition, and purpose. When you can design and assign work to employees that allows them to meet their financial objectives while also fulfilling other needs, you tap into the full potential of your employees.

Providing Support

After you have defined the objective and expected outcome and delegated the task to an employee, it is vital to remember to provide ongoing support to your employees. Support is going to look different based on the employee's experience and competency. Experienced employees may only need guidance and occasional check-ins. New employees may require training and ongoing counseling. Partnering with the employee to define the type and frequency of support they need can create trust, support effective communication, and improve the odds of the employees delivering on expectations.

How Coaching can help.

In 2022, the International Coaching Federation surveyed over 10,000 people and asked them about their primary reason for participating in coaching. 37% stated improving communication skills as the primary reason they sought coaching. Motivating employees comes down to communication first, because listening to employees, understanding their strengths, passions, skills, and experience is vital to putting them in a position where they are doing work that is intrinsically motivating for them. Second, your ability to effectively communicate what needs to be done, why it is essential, how you want it done, and by when can provide the extrinsic motivation employees need to support them in doing a task. Getting work done is all about combining an employee's internal motivation with your direction, support, and guidance (communication) to complete the task.

If you are interested in learning more about Erin Myers and her coaching program, you can find her on LinkedIn. To learn more about Your Path Coaching and Consulting, visit our website at www.yourpathexecutivesolutions.com or schedule a free consultation using this link.https://yourpathcoachingandconsulting.hbportal.co/schedule/635fe8e75275fb003103425c

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Leaders Must Be Trusted

The journey to becoming a trusted leader is continuous. At Your Path Coaching and Consulting, we offer executive coaching services specifically designed to guide leaders in their personal and professional development, including leadership development, team building, and communication skills – all of which are linked to building trust.

For those eager to delve deeper into the nuances of leadership and the art of building trust, we highly recommend tuning into the Coaching Gold podcast. This insightful resource explores various aspects of executive coaching and provides valuable perspectives on how to cultivate trust within your leadership practice. By listening to Coaching Cold, listeners can gain practical tips and strategies to enhance their leadership capabilities and foster stronger, more trusting relationships within their organizations.

Building Trust Through Coaching

Why Trust Matters: The Ripple Effect

The impact of trust in leadership can be seen across numerous facets of an organization:

1. Empowering Better Decisions: When trust is high, leaders and their teams feel psychologically safe. This safety allows for open discussion, honest feedback, and the sharing of diverse perspectives without fear of judgment or retribution. Such an environment is crucial for leveraging collective intelligence, leading to more well-rounded, informed, and ultimately, better decisions. Imagine a leadership team where vital information is withheld due to a lack of trust; the consequences for strategic planning can be severe.

2. Fostering Open Communication: Trust fosters a free flow of information, enabling team members to share critical details, insights, and concerns, ensuring everyone has a complete picture. This transparency minimizes misunderstandings, reduces misinterpretations, and leads to the smoother execution of tasks and projects. When leaders are transparent about their intentions and decisions, even when those decisions are difficult, it builds confidence and strengthens relationships.

3. Boosting Team Performance and Collaboration: Trust directly translates into stronger team performance. Trusting teams collaborate more effectively, leveraging each other's strengths and working seamlessly towards shared goals. This fosters an environment of increased engagement and ownership. When employees trust their leaders, they feel valued and supported, and are more likely to take ownership of their work, leading to higher productivity and a more motivated workforce. This is particularly evident in challenging times, where a high-trust environment allows teams to navigate obstacles with resilience and a collaborative spirit.

4. Enhancing Problem Solving and Innovation: In a trusting environment, individuals feel empowered to take calculated risks and share innovative ideas. They know that even if an idea doesn't pan out, their initiative will be valued, not punished. This psychological safety fosters creativity and enables the inclusion of diverse viewpoints, resulting in more innovative and effective solutions to complex problems. Leaders who demonstrate vulnerability by admitting mistakes or sharing lessons learned from past failures further cultivate this environment, making them more approachable and human.

5. Strengthening Company Culture: Trust is the foundation for a positive and respectful company culture. Employees who trust their leaders feel a greater sense of belonging and loyalty. This not only increases employee engagement and retention but also enhances the employer brand, attracting top talent who seek a positive and collaborative work environment. A culture built on trust minimizes internal conflict and office politics, allowing energy to be directed towards productive outcomes.

Building Trust: Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Building trust is not a passive endeavor; it requires intentional effort and consistent action. Leaders must embody the very qualities they wish to see in their teams. Key pillars of building trust include:

• Reliability: Consistently following through on commitments and promises. When leaders do what they say they will do, they build a reputation for dependability.

• Authenticity: Being genuine and transparent. This doesn't mean oversharing, but it does mean being honest about what can and cannot be discussed, and showing a willingness to be oneself.

• Competence: Demonstrating a certain level of expertise and capability. While leaders aren't expected to know everything, their teams need confidence in their ability to lead effectively.

• Care and Fairness: Showing genuine concern for the well-being and interests of team members. This includes treating all team members equitably, especially when it comes to opportunities for growth and development.

Leaders set the tone. By actively identifying and minimizing behaviors that weaken trust (e.g., betraying confidences, prioritizing personal interests over team needs, professional incompetence) and reinforcing behaviors that strengthen trust (e.g., sharing information openly, keeping confidences, collaborating), leaders can cultivate a thriving, high-trust environment.

Learn More About Executive Coaching and Building Trust

Schedule a free consultation today to discuss how Your Path Coaching and Consulting can help you achieve your goals and cultivate a leadership style founded on unshakeable trust.

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Your Path To Business Success #13: Cultivating a Culture of Teamwork

Imagine having a business where every individual understood their role and executed at a high level. Information and resources effortlessly flowed from one person to another. Every part worked harmoniously towards a shared goal. Creating a clear picture of how you want your business to operate is the first step in building a better organization. Nature can be an excellent point of reference when designing your idea organization. Something as simple as the anatomy of a plant can give you words to describe the importance of each part of your business having a role and how it can only reach its potential by each individual part working together towards a shared goal.

The Plant Analogy: Understanding Team Dynamics

Let's break down this analogy:

• Roots (Values): These core values form your team's foundation, providing stability and access to the nourishment your organization needs to grow.

• Stem (Communication Channels): This represents effective communication, the central channel allowing information and support to flow freely.

• Leaves (Production): This represents the work done to solve customers' problems by producing goods or providing services.

• Flowers (Marketing): This represents your actions to attract and retain customers.

• Fruit (Profits): This is the natural byproduct of a healthy, well-functioning team.

It's crucial to remember that the fruit (profits) always comes last and directly results from the plant's overall health and collaboration. Each part must be cared for, protected, and nurtured for your business to bear fruit.

4 Parts of a Healthy Business

I recently worked with a small business owner who was frustrated with his team's performance. He felt they weren't meeting expectations and wasn't sure why. We began by exploring the health of his business "plant." It quickly became apparent that poor communication, a lack of employee recognition, and unclear goals were the primary issues hindering their growth. We saw weak roots (unclear goals), a blocked stem (poor communication), and wilting leaves (lack of recognition and engagement).

A thriving team, like a healthy plant, has:

• Strong Roots (Values): Shared purpose, ethical conduct, and a strong company culture.

• Open Stem (Communication): Transparent, consistent, and effective communication channels.

• Flourishing Leaves (Production): Clear process for converting resources and talent into customer solutions.

• Radiant Flowers (Marketing) Effective processes for educating customers on the problems the company solves.

Cultivating Teamwork: Planting the Seeds

To begin, we focused on planting strong roots by clarifying the business owner's vision and establishing clear goals. Just as a plant needs a strong foundation, a team needs a clear direction.

Next, we nourished the stem by improving communication. We decided to focus on communication first, believing it would naturally improve the other areas of his business. This involved clearly defining success, praising progress, and establishing open lines of dialogue.

Finally, we encouraged growth by fostering recognition and trust. We created an environment where team members felt valued and responsible for their contributions.

Nurturing Growth: Ensuring a Bountiful Harvest

Over the course of six months, the business owner saw significant improvements. Trust was built with employees, the store experience improved, and more sales were generated. This demonstrated the positive impact of focusing on the health of the team “plant.”

It's important to remember that this type of growth requires ongoing maintenance. Providing sunlight (recognizing achievements), water (ongoing support), and a fertile environment (positive work culture) are essential for sustained success.

Harvesting Success

Cultivating a high-performing team is an ongoing process. Consistent care and attention to each part of the team “plant” will yield a bountiful harvest.

Ready to cultivate your own thriving team? Schedule a free consultation with Your Path Coaching and Consulting today. Visit our website at www.yourpathexecutivesolutions.com to learn more about our services. We'd love to hear your thoughts and questions in the comments below!

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