Inspire Your People in Tough Times
Published on 25th May 2010
As many in your team experience continued anxieties about the future, how do you break the grip of fear and panic that can develop in a crisis? Can you be a rule-changer? Can you be the kind of leader to lead people out of the wilderness?
Keep Your Head ...and Your Heart
In tough times, emotionally intelligent leaders help people relate to colleagues’ unease while encouraging them to step up and make a difference. They rise to the dual challenge of maintaining a clear vision without ignoring the pain being felt in the moment.
Are You Worth Following?
Reflect on this yourself for a moment from your own experience. Think of someone who has really brought out the best in you. How did you feel about this person? What did they do to inspire you?
The answers are not so much about ‘what’ leaders do, but ‘how’ they go about it. Good leaders:
- Listen deeply and give their time ...generously
- Encourage, praise, and challenge ...consistently
- Express vision and direction ...authentically
They set an example as well as relating to individual team members.
Emphasize Colleagues’ Strengths
Every colleague you have has hidden strengths, and bringing these out will help bring renewed motivation and effort. Sounds easy, but in practice it can be an immense challenge...
Here are a few suggestions about how you could channel the kind of conversation that will get colleagues more engaged and productive:
1. Don’t Just Praise... Learn Too!
When a colleague is successful, merely praising is a missed opportunity. Focus also on the reasons behind the accomplishment. Ask your colleague why they enjoyed what they did and were successful – and you’ll identify their strengths.
Then also add: “What else went well?” This will take you deeper into the answer and will hopefully highlight the meaningful motivations in their working life. Press them harder than you think, and you will be rewarded with greater insight.
2. Find Motivations in Desires
You may know what tasks or projects individuals in your team like to do, but do you know why? If you haven’t asked “why did you like doing that?” then we recommend starting today.
The answer takes you to the heart their motivations and personal fulfilment. With this knowledge you can better judge how to develop them and use their motivations and strengths to the benefit of your business.
3. Ask About the ‘Big Dream’
We often shy away from the biggest questions that can get to the heart of what your colleagues really want out of life. After all, there’s always the fear that the dream may bear no relation to the current role, or even the employer!
Still, take a deep breath, because if you ask: “If you could do anything in your working life, what would it be?” The answer you get will be of immense value. If you can find some way of weaving an aspect of the dream into their work, you can raise their level of engagement and commitment.
The role of a leader is never so critical than in the tough times and by really understanding your staff, their dreams, motivations and strengths – you can become an agent of change in the workplace. For the better!