Leader = Motivator?
Is the leader automatically the person who is responsible for motivation within the team?
I wouldn’t see this as a requirement for a leadership position. A leader is responsible for making their team achieve its goals in the first place.
But what I do think is that a motivational leader will have a significant impact on the team. A highly motivated team will outwork an unmotivated team because they have the drive and mindset to get there, even when it’s hard.
A good leader
A good leader will know when and how to motivate the team. When to push them again and when to fire up the environment.
A good leader will know how to motivate the team when times a hard, a deadline is pushing them to the limits. The leader got to tell the team why they are doing it and what their impact overall can be.
The team needs a purpose. You don’t want to work for a company or leaders who don’t know what you are actually working on and especially why.
So you as a leader got to ensure that everyone within your team knows what you are up to. Why are we going for this OKRs? Why is X and Y happening?
Be transparent, fire your team up and be there for them.
Balance
It’s also important to stay in balance. Motivation should come from both sides, from the leader to the team, from the team to the leader, but of course, also from team member to team member. In the end, we all want to evolve and be good while having a great time doing it.
So motivation is teamwork. The person who sets the fundament for a motivational environment is the leader.
Suppose their leader doesn’t show the team that the environment, indeed, is a highly motivated one. In that case, the team won’t be able to adapt unless another person takes the motivational coach hat on and motivates the rest of the team.
Build an environment where people can be authentic, transparent and creative. Give them freedom. The benefits are clear — you will have happy team members who will motivate you because they love their work. The team will have a happy leader because his team is highly motivated.
Motivation and discipline can make magic happen.
