| Management
Voice Index
Subscribe
to Management Voice
If
these are chaotic and uncertain times for you, it is possible
that all your usual skills of motivating and supporting people
are in need of a boost. Try this simple process at your next
team meeting to spread some autumn cheer for uncertain times.
Focus
on (small) success
Ask
each member of the team for one achievement in the past week
no matter how small. Encourage reflection and acknowledge
each success.
Research
shows that recognising a success, no matter how small, is
much more effective at motivating people to cope in difficult
times than thinking about all the risks of failure.
Encourage
each person to identify a possible success they could have
this week, no matter how mundane. It might be to get their
desk tidy, phone a customer they haven't spoken to for a long
time, or even get to work on time!
Use
Help to build Motivation
Explore
some of the challenges the team faces together or individually.
Discuss how each person could help someone else with their
part of the challenge. You are not asking people to take on
each others problems, just make a small contribution to addressing
the situation.
Over
and over again research shows that helping and supporting
others is one of the most personally rewarding things we can
do.
Coach
gently
People
in highly stressful situations are best coached gently, save
your challenging coaching style for more secure times. Focus
on what people can achieve in the circumstances, remembering
that fear of change, un-employment or just the unknown has
a huge impact on performance.
Manage
Distraction
One reaction to stress is a high
degree of distraction – constant checking of emails, news websites,
texting etc. If you sense high degrees of distraction, plan
some ‘distraction times' when people can explicitly talk about
concerns, air their thoughts, check-in with others etc. A coffee
break can be a good time to do this. People will feel calmer
and more able to concentrate once feelings have been acknowledged.
Management
Voice Index
Subscribe
to Management Voice
|
