Research shows that employees’ “best days” occur when they make progress on projects viewed as “meaningful” to their employer’s mission. If they feel that they are contributing to bottom-line success, they become more driven to excel.
Jeff Weiner, CEO of LinkedIn, frequently borrows a phrase from legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, who likes to say “next play” after every sequence on the basketball court. It’s a way to focus players on what they need to do to succeed.
As a leader you can tell people what to do. But barking orders rarely endears you to your team. A better way to instruct and inspire staffers is to share personal anecdotes.
When you’re trying to persuade employees, you may figure if you cite enough evidence, you’ll break down others’ resistance and they’ll agree with you. But reason alone may not suffice. Use techniques that induce compliance.
What skills does a great leader possess? Charisma tends to fade over time. And strong-willed bosses who try to intimidate may seem formidable at first, but employees often resist tyrants. Nine traits of effective leaders:
Run down this list to see if your behavior aligns with the “high influence style” of leadership.
Strong leaders create a safe, secure environment so that staffers can test the bounds of their fears and break through them. Here’s how top executives drive exceptional performance.
An intriguing aspect of leaders is how often they fail to appreciate how unusual they are. Even if you carry a powerful understanding of your team’s mission, don’t assume that everyone around shares your drive or your goals.
In 1985, Michael Houlihan co-founded Barefoot Cellars, where he served as president and chief executive for 19 years. Despite launching the company with no money and no knowledge of the wine industry, Houlihan and his partner, Bonnie Harvey, built a global brand in 28 countries with sales of almost 600,000 cases a year.
There’s no single method to motivate entry-level employees. You need a range of communication tools to ignite their on-the-job passion. Consider the example set by Rich Snyder of In-N-Out Burger.