How Great Leaders Motivate Their Employees At Work

Great leadership is essential for a happy and productive work force. Leaders who are talented, passionate and inspiring can motivate others to be the same. At the top of each of the best organizations is a unique leader who serves as a champion for the organization and its employees. Being a motivational leader requires a balance of qualities, but many great leaders share traits and techniques. These methods ultimately help to inspire and motivate employees to do their best.

Give Employees A Sense Of Purpose

The best leaders help motivate employees by showing how each person can contribute to the bigger picture. People with a sense of purpose are more focused, creative, and resilient, so business owners should motivate employees by reminding them how their work is improving people's lives. Even if your organization isn't primarily associated with charity work, you can instill a sense of purpose in employees by showing them how they impact customers. Share positive testimonials and client experiences, and give employees a chance to volunteer or contribute to charitable organizations on behalf of your company.

Encourage Development

According to Forbes, "Capable ambitious young employees want training, mentoring and coaching. They want to gain skills. They want to become more versatile and valuable to an organization."  A great leader will want the people on her team to be at their best, and one way to achieve this is to assist employees in developing their skills. Great leaders will not only motivate employees to develop their personal and professional skills, they will help as much as they can. Whether that means offering tuition assistance or setting up a leader in HR to help employees find classes and seminars, allowing your employees to develop will motivate them to be their best.

Lead By Example

If you want your employees to conduct themselves with integrity, creativity and enthusiasm, it is important for you to show these qualities. Employees will respect managers who roll up their sleeves and make the same sacrifices that the rest of the team has to make. Leading by example applies to everything from professional development to handling all of your projects with care and tact. By demonstrating the qualities you want to see in your employees, you can inspire them to follow suit.

Be Sincere

Along with leading by example, good leaders are also excellent communicators. However, it is important to be sincere. Talented employees can tell when their leaders aren't being genuine. Dishing out a compliment for the sake of it won't cut it. To communicate sincerely, you actually have to listen to your employees and consider what they are saying. As Entrepreneur.com put it, "Great communicators don't worry about sounding important, showing off their expertise, or boosting their own egos. Instead, they think about what people need to hear, and how they can deliver this message so that people will be able to hear it."

The most successful leaders know how to motivate and inspire those on their team. By communicating effectively, leading by example and truly listening to your employees, you can help inspire them to be their best. Motivated employees are often more successful, and doing your part to encourage them allows you to contribute to their successes.

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