Motivation is the driving force of our professional lives, and one of the most dynamic aspects of teamwork.
For People & Culture leaders, you can get super creative in the ways to motivate your team.
While individuals can have their own personal motivational strategies to succeed, the key to motivating a team is inspiring one collective motivation: getting people to rally together for a shared vision.
Here are 5 motivational strategies for your high-potential team...
1. Validate and acknowledge the individual contributions of people.
Every individual desires to be recognized for the unique value they bring to their work. Each person plays a unique part– and deserves credit for their contribution.
Employee recognition can take many forms. You can bring in an official recognition program, like Workhuman; design workplace experiences for team members to showcase their talent; or start by simply looking for opportunities in your work day to recognize the individual contributions of your team members.
A little recognition goes a long way. When team members feel valued, seen, and celebrated, they are much more inclined to bring their best ideas to the table. The shift is felt at a larger level too. When one person is motivated to do more for the team, they inspire the people around them, having ripple effects on team morale, engagement, and retention.
2. Create weekly workspaces for conversation and collaboration.
Coming together as a team can do wonders for a team’s motivation, especially when the purpose for meeting is outside of their everyday job responsibilities. When people are invited to have inspiring conversations on topics relevant to the company and world at large, you’re unlocking their curiosity to learn about one another and vested interest in the company.
Workspaces can be in many forms, like weekly check-ins, group coaching conversations, or co-working spaces. These spaces provide opportunities for people to connect with team members who they wouldn’t normally get to connect with in their workday. Plus: You’re empowering people to express themselves and share what matters to them, which creates a higher sense of fulfillment and meaning in their daily work.
3. Provide opportunities for personal growth and professional development.
While your company has a high-level vision, each individual contributor also has their personal goals and aspirations for their career. Every human being finds motivation knowing that they are bettering themselves for the future, and leaders who recognize this desire take a conscious approach to consider: What’s in it for you? What career skills are you mastering? How are you growing as a human?
Many companies invest in their team members’ long-term success by offering learning and development programs that enhance their knowledge, skills, and self-awareness. This progressive approach significantly impacts motivation, as your team members feel inspired knowing that their leaders genuinely care about their growth and development.
Higher Playbook® People’s Potentials Activation is the prime example of how a personal development program can directly motivate your company culture. When each team member is able to see their unique leadership potential through the ELI Assessment, they unlock their unique motivation and make a commitment to mastering their awareness in everyday business interactions. It’s a win-win: Workplace experiences serve both the individual and the company culture at large.
4. Deepen the team's sense of purpose in their work.
Within impact-driven companies, the focus is often outward toward achieving performance objectives and driving forward results. Over time, it’s normal for even the most high-performing teams to see passion dwindle; and so it’s up to leaders to get creative in how they can continue to deepen the buy-in toward the company mission.
The way to inspire new levels of motivation is through raising awareness to interconnectivity: an individual’s connection to themselves, each other, and the world at large. This perspective is possible when employees are able to see how their work directly ties back to the company mission and the world at large.
Higher Playbook® Purpose Project has each team member direct their focus inward to explore their unique personal purpose within the larger company’s mission. By connecting more deeply to their work, they recognize the value they add to the business ecosystem and how they’re personally contributing to your company’s larger vision of impact.
5. Experience meaningful moments together.
One of the greatest joys of being on a team is being connected by a shared mission. When team members can experience their impact in action, they create a special memory and bond through their work together.
When we consider how companies can support their employees toward self-actualization and fulfill their higher order needs, it’s super valuable when employees can experience their contribution in the world and connection to something greater than themselves. Special Projects are a great way for teams to gain real-world applications of their skills, talents, and virtues while coming from the power of “we.”
Higher Playbook® Impact Project demonstrates how you can purposefully cultivate your team’s motivation, engagement, and creativity to drive forward socially impactful initiatives in the world. Your team members unite behind a shared vision and drive forward a collaborative effort that reflects your company’s social impact. By having opportunities to contribute beyond the walls of your organization, your employees become empowered ambassadors of your company.
Feeling Inspired?
In painting a picture of what’s possible for your team, you can direct your focus to the future: What is the company culture you desire to create? What strategies can you implement to bring that culture to life? How can you motivate your team members today?
Learn more about Higher Playbook’s team programs and partnerships by inquiring below, and you’ll receive a personalized brochure.
