This is the final installment on how you can provide the SPARK for your employees to become more motivated and engaged in the workplace. By incorporating the following five themes into your daily life, you can increase productivity in your workplace.
And finally, K – Know Yourself.
This is the hardest but most essential part of the formula. You are a leader in the organization and if you look stressed, tired, and frustrated all the time, then your employees, customers, vendors and other leaders see this and will wonder how your organization is doing. You must take care of yourself in order to be an effective leader. Remember how you are always told to put on your life mask first on plane trips? There is something to that. Here are 3 tips to help you focus on you:
- Your personal life and professional life can easily blend together as a leader in your organization. You must find a way to give your personal life a chance to be the top priority. I recommend putting your life on your calendar first so you have to make a choice to move something off your calendar. Make time for those personal life events and don’t let work be the #1 in your life.
- Next, find a coach or peer group to share your ideas, challenges and thoughts with. Many leaders feel like they are the only one going through something when others are facing the same issues. Your peers or coach can help you with perspective and provide ideas that you might not be able to see.
- Finally, you are going to have learn a small but powerful word–NO!!! You might have to use this with a volunteer group, a key customer making unreasonable demands or an employee’s request. Protecting your time will help to keep you energized and ready to lead.
I hope these five themes will provide you with a framework for how to motivate your employees to be more engaged at work. I’d love to hear your experiences as you implement some of these ideas at your organization. Do you see a difference? Do you feel more engaged? I wish you success in starting the SPARK.
