How to Improve Manager Motivation
The ability to motivate others is an important skill for managers to have, and keeping motivation high is essential for continued success in leadership. In the current business environment, many managers are expected to do more with less and still produce results. For this to happen, your company needs to have motivated and committed managers. Although it isn't easy to keep your managers motivated, you must develop ways to ensure that they're productive, and can work effectively with their teams.
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Instructions
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Create clear expectations for performance, and get agreement from your managers that these expectations are important. Meet with each of your leaders individually, and agree on a set of goals and objectives that are clear, measurable and achievable.
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Establish rewards and consequences. Reward outstanding managers with bonuses, raises and promotions. Define a performance-improvement program that clearly outlines expectations and consequences for nonperformance. Publicly recognize managers who perform well and who display the motivation you expect.
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Remove obstacles that limit manager motivation. Eliminate or reduce needless paperwork and forms that drain manager morale. Replace outdated systems and processes that create manager frustration and take time away from achieving performance objectives. Purchase the equipment or supplies managers need to perform their jobs well.
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Provide feedback to your managers as often as possible. Praise excellent performance as soon as you become aware of it. Give corrective feedback when you see an opportunity to improve performance. Provide feedback neutrally, and be clear and specific so your managers understand what you expect. Clear, specific and usable feedback results in the behaviors you want.
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Train your managers often, and teach them how to become motivated and to motivate those who work for them. Schedule classes on motivational and leadership techniques, and on how managers can encourage their workers and improve their performance. Refresher courses on basic supervisory skills are also helpful. Define your training objectives clearly and let your managers know how important the training is to you and your company. Attend the training with your managers whenever possible and model the skills you're seeking. Follow up on the training, and ask your managers how they'll use it to improve their motivation and that of the people who work for them.
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Tips & Warnings
Without constant reinforcement motivation will fade.
References
Resources
- The Motivational Manager
- American Management Association
- The One Minute Manager; Ken Blanchard & Spencer Johnson
