Guest Post by Janet Cortright
Knowing How to Motivate Teams is always a challenge.
We’re always faced with motivating other people to do things. You want your employees to work harder, your customers to buy, your employer to advance you, your co-workers to take a deeper interest in their work, or you want your children to get better grades, and your partner to treat you better.
The following principle will help you become a great motivator.
“To the extent that you give others what they want and need, they will give you want you want and need.”
The secret to this principle is that you have to give others what they want first. Then they’ll give you what you want. This is the Universal Law of Reciprocity. But most people never learn it. And that is why motivation is the number one business problem in the world.
Most people apply the Universal Law of Reciprocity backwards.
- Employers say “Let employees put forth extra effort, then I’ll give them a raise.”
- Individuals say “I wouldn’t be so grumpy if my partner showed more love and affection.”
- Sales managers wait until the salesperson achieves performance before recognition is given to them.
That’s applying the principle backwards? It’s like saying “I’m going to wait until you give me what I want, then maybe I’ll give you what you want.” You need to give others what they want first.
This is the key to learning how to motivate teams.
And what do others want? It isn’t money or personal benefits that people want most. They want “psychological satisfaction.”
People will work harder for “psychological income” than they will for monetary income. Understanding the Disc Profile will help you provide ways to satisfy these “psychological needs.” For instance:
- Dominant / Direct styles are motivated by: Control, Dominance and Challenges
- Inspiring / Influencing Styles are motivated by: People, Popularity and Approval
- Supportive / Steadiness Styles are motivated by: Stability and status Quo
- Cautious / Conscientious Styles are motivated by: Precision and Proper Ways.
This is only the beginning of what you will learn about motivating others when you use the Disc Profile for yourself or for your workplace team.
Janet is a organizational training expert. She has worked with teams, management, leaders and sales people for over 30 years. Janet is a professional facilitator, and writer. She helps large and small organizations to “Bring out the Best” in their people using the Disc Profile. www.discprofiles4u.com
Primary Image Source: Envato Elements
