(Cont'd)

Here is the difference. If you have motivated correctly, that is “provided with” your people will have all that they need to accomplish the job. That includes training, coaching, mentoring, observing and providing guidance and even rewarding. You have completely given everything that you had to offer in order for that person to be completely successful in their endeavors for you and your company. You have motivated.

Now you can only cheerlead. “Yaay Team!” Words of encouragement and small course corrections are needed, not “motivational” language. You cannot “motivate” anyone to do anything. You can only provide the materials for them to use, provide the training to use the materials, coach them to use the materials, observe them using the materials and help them make changes. The actual use of the materials is up to the person who has them in their hand. If they do not use whatever you have given them, you cannot “motivate” them to do so.

Oh, sure, they will make token attempts, maybe join in the singing of the company fight song, engage in cursory application of the whatever material has been given to them, however, their heart will never be in it. And therein lays the problem.

They have to completely “get it” to well, get it. It must be of value and importance to them, or it’s no more important than an empty can lying in the street or newspaper in the recycling bin.

So, if you are “motivating” your people, perhaps you might want to take a look at your staff and see if you really need to motivate. Maybe, just maybe, you might need to cheerlead instead. And pay close attention to the [last] four letters of that word.

Lead.

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About The Author

Leonard Buchholz leads seminars in Customer Service, Attitude and Skills and Management. He also provides coaching and consulting in Customer Service. He resides in Southern California and you can reach him at 760-529-5635 or email him at selfemployedagent@cox.net.