It’s important to know, because as leaders, we need to tailor everything we do based on our team members’ preferences and priorities.
I was in a team building workshop last week, and one of my participants asked, “…but how do we know what motivates our team members?”
I simply replied, “Just ask.”
Here are some questions you might ask your team members and co-workers to better understand their needs and aspirations.
1. What two or three aspects of your work do you enjoy most?
2. What do you enjoy least about your role?
3. What are you passionate about – both at work and in your personal life?
4. If you could redesign your job, what would it look like?
5. Have we lived up to the promises we made to you when you started in this role?
6. What is something new you would like to try in the coming year?
7. What could others start or stop doing to frustrate you less?
8. What do you need from me to be successful?
I am a firm believer that you can’t motivate or change others. But, we can create environments that are motivating to our people. We just need to know what they are.
Just ask.