In today’s office, we spend a lot of time, money and energy attempting to understand what motivates and drives us and those we work with. We do this in a variety of ways, primarily through assessments. At the end of these assessments, we are assigned labels, initials, colors and animals, categorizing our personalities, working styles, strengths and challenges. We learn who we work best with and how to adjust to those with whom we struggle. These assessments provide value and insight when it comes to better understanding ourselves and those we work with, but this value is limited.
When we complete an assessment and are assigned a label, we often react in one of two ways. Some of us reject these labels, finding them limiting and inaccurate, thereby missing out on an opportunity to learn something valuable and important. Others take on these new labels as integral components of identity, ascribing them more weight and importance than they deserve. Like most things in life, the answer lies somewhere in the middle. Assessments, exercises, quizzes and activities can provide insight into who we are and how we work best but it is important to recognize that these results can only tell us so much.
In addition to personality tests and working style assessments, we have created a working culture dominated by SMART goals, designed to capture and ignite what motivates us. We have idolized the value of quantifying progress and the importance of setting goals to maximize performance. In many cases, our performance reviews, raises and promotions are based on our success in achieving the SMART goals we set. Sometimes we have a voice in what SMART goals we are expected to meet, and other times they are chosen for us. If we are lucky, we are driven by the SMART goals we are tasked to achieve. Unfortunately, in many cases, we are not.
In all of the assessments and quantifiers and rubrics, we have missed a great opportunity to understand what drives and motivates us and those we work with. The good news is, all we have to do is ask.
If we are serious about understanding our staffs and what motivates them, we need to dig deeper than corporate goals and DISC assessments. We need to implement what all the research in the world has been begging us to do- to make sure staff feel appreciated, to provide them the opportunity to grow and to give them space to do what they do best. This is what people want. This is what motivates people to stay. Assessments and quizzes might help to inform, but they can only ever do so in a limited way. If we truly want to understand what drives our staffs, we simply have to ask them: “What are your goals for yourself?”
It may be that some of your staff have every intention of staying with your organization until they retire. Others will undoubted stay in the field but will do so with other organizations. Some staff will go back to school, while others will start their own businesses. Some will have goals that have absolutely nothing to do with your current industry and others will be driven by goals that have nothing do with work whatsoever. In order to best support all of them, you must ask first ask them what those goals are.
Once you understand your staff’s goals, you can understand how to best support them. You can provide training, guidance and coaching to help them learn and grow in the areas they want to learn and grow in. It may be the case that the opportunities you provide may have absolutely nothing to do with the current tasks on your staff’s job description. Provide them anyway. People who feel supported and invested in will stick around longer, despite erroneous excuses by managers who are convinced that providing staff growth opportunities outside their current scope will persuade them to move on. People who want to move on will eventually find a way to move on. But if you provide them a reason to stay and grow, they may stick around longer, with a better-developed set of skills to boot.
When you understand what motivates your staff, you can speak to them in a language they can hear. Do they care about money? Making the world a better place? Creating something new? Improving organizational culture? Having flexibility in their schedule? Using the newest technology? Becoming a partner? Going home at 5:00 each day? Making the office more culturally competent? Improving systems? Working independently? Becoming the boss? Mentoring others? Having fun? Making a difference? Learning Mandarin? Increasing their network?
What does your staff care about? And how can you help them get it?
That is the key to being an effective leader. Your priority is to support and develop your team and that means supporting and developing them not just for their current role but for the future they envision for themselves. That future may or may not be with your team or organization or field. Support them anyway. Being a leader means helping your team grow professionally and personally. It means giving them permission and opportunity to grow and shine. It means knowing what they care about and helping them do more of that.
If you do not know already what your staff’s goals are and what they are motivated by, make it a priority to ask them as soon as you possibly can. Then follow up by asking how you can support them in becoming the person they strive to be. Share with your own supervisor as well as your staff what your goals are and how they can support you in becoming the person you want to be. Once you have a mutual understanding, your work together will take on a whole new meaning and rise to a whole new level, one that will provide more joy and satisfaction for everyone involved.
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