How to Inspire Your Team

Get Personal in My Business?

Many entrepreneurs can’t understand why the team they’ve put together isn’t as motivated as they are. You have dreamed of owning your business and worked hard to get there. To get your team on board, you need to inspire them. One of the best ways to do this is to get personal.

Learn Who They Are

What do you really know about your team? Even if you outsource, do you know where your team members are from or what they like? It may sound like a waste of time, but team members who feel cared about are inspired to work harder.

Spend a little time to get personal with your team. Start by asking them what their dream job is or what their favorite hobby is. Asking these things make them feel more comfortable around you. Employees are happier going the extra mile for someone they think of as a respected friend who cares than a stranger who just manages them.

Ask What You Can Change

Does your team ever offer you their personal opinion? Do they seem happy? Team members who are miserable at their job are not going to perform as well as their happy counterparts. Maybe there is something you can do. Don’t wait for them to come to you. Ask them if something is wrong and what you could do to fix it. This caring attitude inspires them to share their opinions and ideas with you. You never know when an idea could take your business to the next level.

Encourage Them To Set Goals

You set goals for yourself and business all the time. You push yourself to succeed. Odds are you also have friends, family or mentors pushing you too. What about your team? Who inspires them? Talk to your employees and encourage them to set both work and personal goals. Work with them to help them succeed. This inspires them to set larger goals and work even harder next time.

Show Your Own Emotions

Your team needs to know more about you too. They don’t know why the business means so much to you. They don’t know how much you have sacrificed or how hard you work on a daily basis. Tell them. Go into detail and be passionate. Inspire the same passion in them. The more you tell them, the more they will feel the business is important to them too.

Offer Personal Incentives

Incentives are a great way to inspire your team. Sometimes a personal incentive is all it takes to really boost the team’s productivity. Maybe one team member would rather have an extra day off versus a bonus. Find out what inspires your team most and offer some version of that as an incentive. Team members work far harder for something they truly want. Money is good, but sometimes personal is better.

It might seem awkward at first as you try to get personal with your team. But these are people you count on to grow your business. Working to build relationships with them will inspire them to do their best.

I have been accused of being a nurturer. I bring a lot of empathy to the team. If you need that personality trait on your team, please reach out and let’s talk.