An experienced team leader knows that motivation is a primary factor in whether goals are missed, met or exceeded. It’s motivation that determines if a person can't wait for their feet to hit the floor in the morning to get to work or hits the snooze button and spends another five minutes dreaming of a better life. And it is motivation that decides whether a team is high-performing or barely meeting goals.
We’ve all heard the phrase “there’s no ‘I’ in team”; however there is a ‘me’ in the word team and if you’re going to build a motivated team that delivers results, you often need to focus on the “me”.
Anyone who has taken a basic management course has heard of Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs. According to Maslow, people are motivated by five needs, which range from biological needs - such as eating - to higher self-actualization needs such as being creative. Each of these needs is focused on the self – the “me”.
People in general are not motivated by ideas such as increasing shareholder value or building a world-class organization. They are motivated to meet their basic needs such as paying their bills, putting food on the table and providing for their families.
Often, the key to motivating a team is to translate business goals into personal value. A motivating leader understands this and makes sure the team knows what's “in it for them” if they meet the goals.
You may find this "it's about me" view very selfish, but in reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Consider the following example:
I have been assigned a project to implement a new system that will increase productivity and save the company $2.5 million. That's a good corporate goal, but it means increased workload, longer hours and extended leaves from my family. So what's in it for me?
If the project is successful, I will get a bonus, my merit raise will increase, my career path and job security will be enhanced, and I could get a promotion. Now I'm getting motivated.
To motivate my team, I need to apply the same strategy and help them understand what's in it for them: they will be exposed to new technologies, there will be opportunities for training, they will get a bonus and potential salary increase if the project is successful, and they will be able to move into more senior positions. Now they are getting motivated.
My "me" is motivated, their "me" is motivated and we are a motivated team ready to do whatever is needed to make the project successful - which will ultimately satisfy senior management’s "me," as business goals will be met.
So while there is no "I" in team, there is a "me" - a bunch of them, to be precise. A motivated and successful team is made up of individuals who understand what's in it for them.
