Guy Shackleton of Positive Development writes:
Ambitious goals often feel like vague projections in the distant future. They appear to need lots of time, energy and effort to achieve. This is where doubt and discouragement can creep in and puts the brakes on progress.
A recent Gallup poll estimate claims that…
85% of employees are not engaged or actively disengaged at work. The economic consequences of this global "norm" are approximately $7 trillion in lost productivity.
Research from the Harvard Business School has revealed what motivates people at work. The most important motivator is feeling that people are making meaningful progress. The key point here is that those moments of progress don’t have to be spectacular achievements. Instead, a continual flow of tiny triumphs creates a feeling of constructive progress.
The smarter way to maintain motivation is to celebrate tiny triumphs. After all, these are stepping-stones towards the end goal. With a busy schedule, it is easy to overlook progress and focus instead on what needs to happen next. Yet, enjoying tiny triumphs creates a more motivated and productive working atmosphere.
Here are three ways to maintain team motivation:
1. Set well-defined goals.
- E.g. Attract 100 new customers of product X in location Y by 28th February 2020.
2. Agree measures and targets.
- E.g. Have 10 meetings with new target customers per week.
3. Communicate progress.
- Deliver regular updates on progress made against targets.
- Give recognition for efforts made.
- Ask “how can I help?” to trigger discussion about what current barriers there are and the options available.
So, to everyone out there doing great things, keep going! Measure progress, enjoy the small wins and celebrate the tiny triumphs!