Why do you do the work you do?
We all have our own reasons to work. Most of us need to earn money to live and support our family. Some work to support their chosen lifestyle. While others choose the work for the impact they can make.
No matter the purpose, every job has its’ downsides. Parts of the job are dull or tedious, they demand speed and accuracy, and require great focus to generate complicated solutions, or are physically or emotionally demanding.
Whether you lead a Team of designers or Team Members on an assembly line, your ability to motivate people is the most important conversations you will initiate.
Last week’s article about the conversation to clarify a shared vision highlighted the importance of communicating frequently and clearly. The conversation with Team Members about the task ahead is equally important. Your ability to persuade others, to accomplish or push through when the task at hand isn’t fun, will define you as a Leader.
It’s going to take something different than telling people to get the task done, how to do it, and how long it should take to complete. If you rely on your position (aka authority managing) or detailed instructions (aka micromanaging), your success will be short lived. Framing the conversation as a demand is like treating people as ‘units of production’.
It’s not only Millennials who are driven by purpose. People are attracted to apply to work for a company because of what it produces and contributes to the community. But they stay working because of how their manager made them feel about their work.
Talk with each person; connect with what they are doing, and with why they are doing it. It takes a little time up front, but when you connect with each Team Member, you will see a dramatic shift to excellence. And it won’t feel hard, for you or for your Team Members.