What is it that inspires you to do your best work? Have you considered what things might be fueling the work of your employees/co-workers?
Although unique to each worker, professional drive has a basic core to which everyone can relate. Discover your essential similarities, and use this knowledge to inspire others to cooperate, instead of mandating that they do so.
Here are a few tips:
Don’t dictate — inspire. Do you do your best work when someone is barking orders at you? Of course not, and chances are your employees don’t either. Think first before you delegate, and make sure you’re articulating your requests in a respectful way.
Don’t direct — win people to your way of thinking. Often times, when you get an employee or colleague to talk through the problem or issue, you’ll find that they come around to your way of thinking. It is less direct than delegating, but can be even more effective.
Begin with praise and honest appreciation. Starting with something as simple as “I really appreciated you taking the lead on that last project — you really hit it out of the park” can be a great way to set the tone for future projects. People want to feel like the work they’re doing is worthwhile.
Build morale and earn loyalty. Doing things just because, like recognizing a birthday, can go a long way for boosting employee morale. If employees believe that they’re valued, they’ll have a better attitude about their job and be more loyal to you as their employer.
Ask questions instead of giving direct orders. Questions are a great way to guide the conversation in the direction you want it to go in.
Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to. If you set high standards for the people around you, they will do whatever they can to live up to those expectations.
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