[jsfg_cinti] Get Motivated!

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Perhaps as you begin to read this sentence you notice that you have 
three rather daunting piles on your desk. Nothing unusual. All of  
them contain an assortment of tasks-?memo assignments, project  
files, e-mail requests and notifications, monthly and weekly  
priorities and, layered somewhere in between these, the daily  
assignments that weren't completed yesterday or, for that matter, 
the day before. If your work life were a sitcom, the piles would  
be labeled something like, "Incomplete," "Past Incomplete" and  
"Irrecoverable." Of course, this is real life and although it  
would add character, you have no motivation to label anything,  
much less the motivation to meet all those deadlines, answer 
all the questions, and solve the unresolved questions that you  
thought were resolved the day before.  
         
Let's face it, motivation at work can be tough, especially if  
you're a team leader or supervisor. Motivation is the key to team 
building, after all, and your status designates you as the primary 
builder. But every employee faces slumps, even managers. The first  
resolution for success that you should make is to motivate  
yourself. 
         
And the first indication of a lack of motivation is your mood. If 
you consider how often your mood may change within any given day, 
you'll notice that, especially in the workplace, your mood can be 
easily affected by a disgruntled customer, a demanding superior 
or even a temporary crisis. Such experiences may leave you feeling 
agitated for the rest of your day or days after. What many  
individuals forget, including managers and their employees, is  
that you can take control of your moods. You can make it your 
choice to allow an irate phone call to change your temper, and  
you can take responsibility to remain positive. Resolving each day 
to create and maintain your mood makes your workday smoother and  
your duties less daunting. It also will ensure a more positive  
work environment for everyone. 
         
You can also choose to act rather than react. Like taking  
responsibility for your disposition, you can also choose to listen 
to other people's complaints and anxieties objectively instead of 
internalizing them. Responding emotionally to someone's demands is 
again reacting to someone's anger rather than responding to the  
needs that caused the outburst. If you try to look at complaints  
as a call for action rather than a personal criticism, your own  
spirits will not be swayed, and you will also be an example for a  
productive office environment. 
         
Finally, you can help to maintain a positive outlook by making an  
effort to elevate your point of view. Don't keep your nose buried  
in numbers, weekly financial goals and daily tasks. Remember to  
place your initial aspirations in full view and remind yourself  
frequently of the quality and long-term benefits of your work.  
 
* * * 
         
As you continue to strive for personal motivation each day,  
remember that it is just as important to pay attention to the  
motivation of your employees. Although it may not be easy some  
days, it is important to remember that the individuals who work  
under you may be even more removed from the final successes and  
achievements that help to inspire you. Paying attention to the  
aspects of your job that motivate you and working these into  
relationships with those you work with, including the individuals 
you mentor, is invaluable. The time and effort that you use to  
inspire others will come back to you tenfold. 
         
The first point to consider is your reason for taking on projects 
or specific assignments. Most likely, the best motivational tool  
you can employ is to pay attention to how your efforts will be  
applied to the final outcome. Understanding the whole picture helps 
you feel like an integral and valued part of the company. The same  
feeling of purposefulness affects those you supervise as well. When 
you give a new task to someone, don't just leave it on the desk,  
but try to explain how it fits into the final solution. Even more  
important is to remind people of why their daily duties are crucial 
to success. You may want to post articles or customer feedback that 
reveals the results of company efforts beyond the office cubicles.  
It's harder to see work as drudgery when you are reminded of what  
it is that you are achieving.  
         
Compliments are also a cheap and easy motivator. Think about how a  
personal expression of appreciation from your own boss affects you, 
or even how compliments outside of work make you feel. They create  
a natural high that inspires you to work toward bettering yourself. 
At work, a compliment on a single day's work, extraordinary  
teamwork or overtime hours will encourage employees to continue  
the same effort. After all, generosity begets generosity. 
         
Employees also like to feel that they are growing too, not just  
their work piles. Pay attention to each individual's strengths and 
weakness. You may discover where you might help one individual  
improve with small challenges or how another might better fit into 
the company if he is uncomfortable with some of his current  
activities. For employees who have reached a work plateau, you  
may consider giving extra responsibilities. It is important to  
remain flexible and allow employees and yourself room to grow. 
         
A sense of power is another great motivator for people. Power is  
frequently unbalanced in corporate business, and employees,  
especially those with little or no management duties, often feel  
as though they are omitted from the overall planning process. As  
a manager, you may feel overburdened with requests to resolve  
workplace issues. An excellent way to provide everyone with a  
sense of power and resolve issues successfully is to allot time 
for weekly, small group meetings in your department. In these  
situations you can encourage everyone to make suggestions for  
improvement and provide a sense of belonging and accomplishment 
for everyone. 
         
In addition to individual motivation, an impression of cohesion  
among coworkers also creates a more productive environment. Some 
managers make a point of encouraging group activities outside of 
work, such as department picnics, softball games or even  
volunteering. Events like these remind employees that work and  
coworkers can be fun; they also serve as examples of the benefits 
of team effort. Occasional potluck events or morning breakfasts in 
the office allow coworkers to enjoy each other in a non-work  
setting, which in turn leads to a less stressful office environment.   
         
The key to a highly motivated office is remembering that everyone,  
at all levels, is connected. Each person is a leader by example,  
and leading includes presenting yourself as a determined, motivated 
and diligent professional. In turn, everyone is to some extent  
affected by others in the office. Changes in your mood, your  
reluctance or your enthusiasm for your work can either hinder the  
efforts of those around you or help to create team success. If you  
choose to remain positive and encourage the same in others, you will 
be a valued mentor among your peers. 
 





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