The Motivator Must Also Be the Motivated
By Leanne Crain
As a leader, you are often called upon to be the motivating factor for others on your team. It is a big role to take on, and we can sometimes get so caught up in the business of our lives that it's a challenge to constantly be the motivator to others.
Sometimes you may find that it's difficult to maintain the positive force of your entire team, and perhaps you really have to strain to make an effort every day to make it happen.
If you know what I'm talking about, then chances are you have forgotten to spend time on someone very important that belongs to the team - yourself. You cannot continuously motivate others if you do not take time to keep yourself motivated. Let's take a few moments to look at ourselves in the mirror and make sure we are taking all the steps needed to keep up the energy on our team.
First, are you passionate about what you do? Why not take a few moments right now and remind yourself what you love about what you do. Question why you do what you do. If your answer involves "for the money", it may be time for you to reconnect with what you really find worth in your work. Make a list of all the things you enjoy doing, and what rewards you gain from your work. Remind yourself how you make a difference.
Next, review your personal mission statement. Are your actions as a leader aligned with your overall goals as a person? Does your personal mission need updating, or do you need to spend some time finding ways to better integrate it into your leadership style. Make a plan of how you can incorporate any changes that need to happen.
Sit down and have a look at where you are going in your organization. Where do you want to be in a couple of years? What do you need to do to get there? Take charge of the direction you want to be going in, and act on it. Make a list of things you could learn that would improve your leadership, as well as you as a person.
Finally, after you have decided what skills you need to gain, make an action plan of how you are going to go about everything. Write out the goals you want to achieve personally, and with your team. Put steps to each goal, and assign yourself completion deadlines to keep yourself on track. Do what you need to do to make it happen.
By re-kindling your inner fire and passion for what you do, and by finding new things to get excited about, your own personal motivation will increase. You will find it easier to stay happy and motivated yourself, and thus you will have a far easier time motivating your team in the New Year as well. All too easily we forget that the motivator must also remain motivated! Set aside some time over the next month to re-ignite your inner spark, so that you can continue to be the best leader possible.
For more information on leadership, please contact Gary Gzik at ggzik@bizxcel.com
Leanne Crain is a Marketing Assistant for BizXcel. Her background is marketing and tourism, and she has over 12 years experience in the sales and marketing field.
