Have you ever asked yourself, “How do I motivate my team to do more?”
I am going to share with you the SECRET for getting people to do what you want them to do!
I remember in my early days of being an entrepreneur and building a team, I often felt like I was the only one doing anything.
I was so frustrated!
What did I have to do to create a sense of urgency to get people to do something?
There’s an old adage I used to refer to: You don’t motivate people – you go out and FIND motivated people!
And for the most part, that old adage is true….but only to a certain degree.
Finding the right people IS the best way to build your team, but there is more to it!
What is motivation? It’s providing someone with a MOTIVE to DO something.
One of your biggest jobs as a leader in your business is to become an influencer. And influence is the key to great leadership.
Influence is getting someone to DO things they would not have done if you were not there to help them along.
If someone on your team is at Point A and you want to get them to Point B, you as a leader need to be able to use your influence to get that team member to take actions they otherwise would not have taken so that they can get to Point B.
So, when we talk about finding motivated people, we still need to understand that the majority of people who join your team are going to need to be influenced to move to action.
Motivation is an external thing. You need to get people to WANT to do what they NEED to do.
You NEED to go out and get customers.
You NEED to go out and prospect people.
Influence is all about getting people to WANT to do what they NEED to do during this entrepreneurial journey.
“You need to get people to WANT to do what they need to do. They're not going to do it because they NEED to; they're going to do it because they WANT to. That's what influence is about.”
How do we influence people?
1. Lead by example
Are you doing the things that you’re asking other people to do?
If you’re not showing people the right way to do things and the correct actions to take, do not expect them to go out there and do the work!
You always want to be leading from the front.
Have the goal to be the #1 producer on your team, and stop telling people what to do without showing them and being fully transparent about the work that you are doing to build your own business.
2. Find out their motivation
Find out why people started their business in the first place!
Why are they subjecting themselves to the punishment of being an entrepreneur?
Find this out, and show them you care.
Instead of calling them up and telling them to get to work, let them know you’re here to help.
For example, I might call someone whose goal was to retire their husband and say:
“Amy, remember when you told me that your husband’s job is taking a toll on him physically? That you want to preserve him for your family and to help retire him? Has something changed? Is that not a goal for you anymore? You have to realize that is never going to happen unless you show up and do the work every day. Your actions and your words are not lining up.
I’m sorry if I’m being hard on you, but MY job is to help YOU accomplish this big dream. I’m going to keep pushing you because you asked me to; so, I can keep you on track.”
This is an example of how you lead from a position of helping people instead of just telling them what to do.
3. Accountability
Set up regular weekly or daily accountability tools.
Don’t ever let a week go by where someone on your team that you are trying to motivate doesn’t have to be accountable for what they’ve accomplished.
Accountability allows you as a leader to figure out who the people are on your team who don’t just want your time – it helps you determine who DESERVES your time.
If they are not serious enough to commit to weekly accountability with you, they are probably not serious about building their business to warrant your personal time, direction, and attention.
Setting up accountability helps drive people. I’ve learned that most people need to be pushed. They need to be told what to do.
I’ve coached hundreds of top earners in network marketing, and what they want the most is for someone to hold them accountable. You need to be this person for your team.
4. Create Fear of Loss
I learned early on that if you want to motivate someone, you burn it from the bottom up.
You don’t work with people, you work through people.
If I have someone on my team who I cannot seem to motivate, I work THROUGH them. I use their own network as my own personal network or warm market. I find someone in that network who is interested in the business or product, and then I work with them!
I drive that deeper and deeper…for five or six levels, and before I know it the original team member is noticing that I’m working with people on their team. I’m telling them that this person on their team is amazing! That they are missing out!
Keep telling the success story of the new person. Fear of missing out is a powerful motivator.
Here’s what happens when using this method:
The right people will step up and go to work when they realize you don’t need them anymore.
In the past, you had this dependent relationship – you coached them, counseled them, and pumped them up.
When you cut the umbilical cord and take that attention away from them, it begins to scare them.
The moment you quit calling them to motivate, support, and lavish attention on them because you’re so busy building their team, working with someone else, and leading by example, it will scare them to death!
That team member will either step up and do the work….or they will fade away.
As much as we talk about motivation and influence, sometimes it all comes down to timing. If it’s not the right time for someone to go to work, they’re not going to go to work. Just because they signed up, doesn’t mean they’re ready to build.
If it’s not the right time, you find people who are ready. You start spending your time and energy on the people who are ready to work, but leave the door open for when they are ready.
Remember, at the end of the day, it’s THEIR business.
You never want to make people feel bad for not being ready.
You’re there to support their success – you are not responsible for their success.
The key to getting people to do what they want to do is influence.
Increase your ability to influence people, and it will be one of your most important skills you learn to utilize as a leader.
