3 Tips to boost motivation in a dull team

I had an interesting conversation with a client on team performance. My client was upset because his team members were not doing the job he wanted them to do. He told me, “I tell them exactly what to do, still the job is of poor quality. This is frustrating”

On deep dive, we explored the challenge was not with ability. They were technically competent but motivation was low. It was clear that my client was directive and wanted full control of the situation. He feared losing customers. He was using his energy from fear and stress for more compliance. But..

Control was not yielding the desired results.

 I introduced him to the research on the theory of motivation. Studies have shown that the way to foster self-motivation in others is to support their autonomy, their competence, and their relatedness. These are the three core psychological needs that when filled, lead to self-motivation.

1. Autonomy – Instead of being directive or telling your team what to do, ask them “What is your plan to achieve this outcome?” This not only makes them feel empowered but allows them to think of different options. I have seen teams are much more accountable when the plan is driven by them.
2. Competence – Highlight their past successes. Help them see where they have done well in the previous projects. Recognize their efforts and the skills they used in the past. Figure out the underlying reason for their procrastination and support them. Encourage them to try new things. Something like, “Try it out!” This lets them feel more competent.  
3. Belonging – We are herd animals and want to have a sense of belonging no matter where we are. Explicitly demonstrate that their works matters and that you are proud to have them in your team. Let them know that you are available for help. You could say “Let me know what support you need to address this challenge?” This will expand their sense of belonging and connection.

Shifting your focus from directing and controlling towards self-motivation and empowerment could be a new habit for you. But once you start implementing this new behavior of not being so directive, your relationship with your team would be far more rewarding for both.

With behavior change, start small as Dr. B J Fogg advises in his brilliant book ‘Tiny Habits‘. The tiny next step could be just noticing when you are being directive and replacing that with an open ended question.

How about you? What is your tiny next step to boost motivation in your team?