How to motivate employees as a manager

Summary

In this video, a seasoned leadership coach shares practical strategies for motivating employees, drawing from years of real-world experience across diverse teams, including remote and international groups. Key insights include hiring the right people from the start, building genuine individual relationships, supporting team members through life and career challenges, and proactively addressing performance or fit issues. The coach emphasizes regular check-ins, authentic feedback, understanding long-term goals, and maintaining a human yet professional leadership approach. These actionable techniques help leaders foster engagement, loyalty, and productivity, even in challenging or inherited team environments.

Takeaways

• 😀 A good leader must build genuine relationships with their team to foster trust and motivation.
• 😀 Leaders should hire the right people from the start, as hiring the wrong fit can drain energy and affect team morale.
• 😀 It's essential to listen to employees' needs and offer support, whether it's feedback, resources, or personal understanding.
• 😀 Building individual relationships with difficult team members early on helps create a healthier work environment.
• 😀 If employees aren't happy or the job isn't a good fit, leaders should help them transition to a more suitable role or place as quickly as possible.
• 😀 Motivation is easier when team members genuinely want to be there, but leaders should support employees during challenging personal situations.
• 😀 Regular check-ins and proactive feedback are crucial for maintaining morale and avoiding miscommunication or frustration.
• 😀 Be authentic and transparent with employees, sharing successes and failures in a way that keeps the workplace grounded and human.
• 😀 Leaders must know their employees' long-term goals and align work tasks with these goals to promote growth and satisfaction.
• 😀 For remote teams, maintain an open-door policy, prioritize urgent needs, and check in frequently to keep communication open and clear.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video by B from Simply Unique Coaching?

The video focuses on practical strategies for motivating employees, sharing real-life techniques used by the speaker in leading various types of teams, including remote teams.

Why does B emphasize hiring the right person the first time?

Hiring the right person initially reduces effort and energy spent on managing mismatched employees, avoids the need for premature terminations, and helps maintain a motivated and effective team.

How does B recommend building relationships with team members?

B recommends holding one-on-one meetings, being authentic, showing genuine care for employees’ success, and especially focusing on building relationships with difficult or inherited team members.

What should a leader do with employees who are not a good fit or unhappy in their roles?

Leaders should try to align them with roles better suited to their skills and goals, and if that is not possible, they should cycle them out quickly to prevent negative impacts on the team.

How does B suggest checking in with employees to maintain motivation?

B suggests conducting regular, small check-ins to gauge employees’ challenges, provide support, and prevent issues from building up over time.

What role does being a human and authentic leader play in motivating employees?

Being human and authentic builds trust, shows care, and strengthens relationships with employees, which in turn motivates them and encourages them to support the leader and organization.

What strategies does B use for managing remote teams effectively?

B uses an open-door policy, prioritizes urgent tasks via a structured to-do list, conducts regular check-ins to monitor morale, provides proactive feedback, and aligns work with employees’ long-term goals.

Why is understanding employees’ long-term goals important for a leader?

Knowing employees’ goals allows a leader to provide development opportunities, guidance, and recognition that aligns with their aspirations, fostering engagement and loyalty.

How can proactive feedback impact employee motivation?

Proactive feedback, both positive and constructive, ensures employees know where they stand, feel valued, and are encouraged to continue performing well, enhancing motivation and productivity.

What is B's approach to dealing with difficult employees?

B focuses on building genuine relationships with difficult employees, understanding their challenges, and showing care and support, which can transform them into advocates who support the leader and team.

How does the speaker recommend maintaining professional boundaries while being human?

Leaders should share personal experiences selectively, admit mistakes, and remain approachable, but avoid over-sharing private life details to maintain professionalism and respect within the team.

Why does B prefer headhunting over posting job openings?

Headhunting allows B to directly identify candidates with the right skills, observe their work before hiring, and avoid candidates providing misleading information during interviews.