We all need a little motivation from time to time, and it’s important to know we are not all inspired the same way.
What’s your carrot?
What stimulates one person may not energize another. Here lies another reason for leaders to get to know their employees. One way to do this is through personal assessments. DiSC® is a powerful communication tool to help you build relationships with your employees.
Here are four distinct personality examples:
- Someone who likes to take charge and is strong-willed and forceful would be motivated by opportunities for competition when they are presented and would appreciate a variety of tasks.
- But what about the one who is more moderate-paced, soft-spoken and is seen as a gentle, self-controlled, considerate soul? They would be motivated by having ample time to think things through and having the opportunity to discuss concerns without being rushed.
- Do you have someone on your team with an analytical personality? They’re the deep thinker who thrives on getting to the bottom of things. They can be seen as being unfriendly, insensitive, and less sociable. To motivate this individual, you need to be sure they have detailed information, explanations and opportunity to work independently.
- On the opposite side of the office, you may have someone who is very sociable, talkative and loves to interact. Their personality includes high energy and the drive to brainstorm. Motivating them would be giving them opportunities to work in teams, without a lot of structure and routine.
It’s important to know your individual team members and to be able to recognize what it takes to get their juices flowing. If you want to build loyalty and trust, you have to find a place that starts with joy and you’ll see how quickly they are supercharged.
Humans want attention.
The best motivator is not those extrinsic incentives like a paycheque or promotion. It’s the intrinsic motivation to understand their likes and wants that matters most.
All intrinsic motivation and insight come from “inside” the person. That’s the carrot you want to dangle. Then trust and loyalty will come naturally.
To learn more about personal assessments and insightful ways how to motivate employees, reach out to me.
