10 Workplace Motivation Commandments All Leaders Must Follow

Unmotivated employees have rightly been called “the black holes of the business universe.”  Fortunately, motivation is not something a person is born with or without.  Applying these Ten Commandments can go a long way to helping existing employees find their motivation.

Flickr Photo courtesy of †OnlyByGrace

1.  Commit with all thy heart so others might follow

Before you ask your employees to commit, you must be fully committed yourself as a manager and leader of your organization.  Throw your heart over the bar, make that complete commitment and others will follow.

2. Declare a zero-tolerance policy for dysfunctional behaviors

These behaviors include people saying one thing and meaning another, giving lip service, gossiping and backstabbing. Enlist a company-wide commitment to stop every one of these workplace dysfunctions that lead to conflicts and lower employee productivity.

3. Show that you care, in every way

Show your team members that you care, not just about their productivity, but also about them. A kind word or a “good job,” a pat on the back or a question about someone’s health can go a long way toward motivating your employees.

4.  Celebrate every victory

Recognition of achievements is high on the list of employee motivators.  Every big project consists of scores of little victories along the way.  Celebration builds confidence, and confident people are open to feedback. This means your employees will be more willing to grow with your company.

5.  Clean up thy messes

As a manager and leader, you WILL inevitably make mistakes.  It is critical to clean up your messes as you make them.  Acknowledge the mistake then make a commitment to make things right and prevent a recurrence.

6. Use powerful and positive language

Say what you mean and communicate your position in a clear, powerful and positive manner.  Your ability to motivate employees will be INCREDIBLE when people know what is expected of them and why.

7.  Be unreasonable with thyself

Being “reasonable” doesn’t bring out the best of who you are. Show that you are willing to forego the excuses and happily do what needs doing, regardless of how “unreasonable” it seems. Your employees will then rise to the unreasonable themselves.

8.  Reprogram thy limiting beliefs

We all come equipped with self-doubting mechanisms. Begin living “as if” you are smart enough, good enough and up to the challenge, and guess what—suddenly you will be.  Once those limiting beliefs fall away, your actual competence increases, which further reduces self-doubt … and places you in a happy feedback loop of motivation.

9.  Choose joy

When you develop a habit of interpreting things as good instead of bad, it actually alters the neural pathways in your brain. Your brain will find it easier to interpret things as good.  You’ve rewired your brain for happiness—and happy people are MUCH more likely to be motivated and engaged than unhappy ones.

10.  Give, Give, GIVE

Life gives to the givers and takes from the takers, and life has a perfect accounting system.  If you want your employees to shower your company with success, it’s time for you to dig in and give like crazy to your employees.

Give them your committed heart.  Give them a functional environment.  Give them care, celebration, integrity, clarity and a vision of the impossible made possible.  Give them a model of life without limiting beliefs.  Most of all, show them the way by choosing joy.

Do these things and you will motivate your employees and end up in the Promised Land together.

About the Author:

Roxanne Emmerich is renowned for her ability to transform “ho-hum” workplaces into massive results-oriented “bring-it-on” environments. To discover how you can motivate employees, ignite their passion and catapult performance to new levels, subscribe to Roxanne’s FREE “Thank God It’s Monday” e-zine at http://www.ThankGodItsMonday.com.

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