7 Powerful Motivators to Improve Workplace Performance

[Nipa Sarker]

1. Pay Attention
Take note of those around you who brighten your day, contribute to your success, or make your job easier. Observe and share your observations out loud.

2. Take interest
Get to know your co-workers or employees. It doesn't take much time to share a warm smile or to take an interest in another person, but those actions communicate that I care about you and am interested in who you are. Taking interest helps people feel they belong. How you treat others is a form of appreciation. When you treat people with respect and show interest in them, they tend to feel valued.

3. Listen
Take the time to listen to others' viewpoints, ideas, and suggestions. When you take the time to listen and gain understanding, you help others feel that they are heard and that what they say is important.
. Ask questions
When people ask our opinions, they are communicating that they value what we have to say and how we think. You can make asking questions an even stronger signal by communicating "I value your opinion; would you share with me what you think about this?" When we are asked for our opinions, we recognize that we are valued members of the team.

Recognize those who do good work and make contributions. We can't read minds. We make assumptions and interpret behavior, but we don't necessarily know what someone else is thinking unless they tell us. The absence of acknowledgment or interest has an impact on us just as positive and negative messages do.

To assure that your appreciations will be meaningful to those you communicate with be sure you:

Are Sincere. Make sure you don't have an ulterior motive. When you appreciate, avoid attaching a request for something else with it. Be authentic and genuine and believe in what you are sharing.
Are Specific. Be clear and specific about the behavior, actions, characteristics, and/or qualities that you are acknowledging.
Share the impact. Let the person you're appreciating know the impact their behavior has on you and/or the organization.
Appreciate people one at a time. It means so much more when we are appreciated individually. A group of people may have worked together on a project but each individual contributed something. Letting them know that you recognize their specific contribution helps people know that you see them as individuals.
6. Consider that individuals vary in the way they like to be appreciated
Each of us is unique. Some of us like public recognition; others prefer private acknowledgment. Giving an acknowledgement to a more introverted person in a large room of people may actually detract from your overall message.
7. Follow through
When we follow through on the commitments and promises we make, we are saying, "You are a priority to me. You matter." Following through builds trust.

When people share sincere expressions of appreciation with us, we feel validated. We feel seen. We feel that we matter. We gain confidence when others re-enforce for us what they see and how they value our contributions. Your appreciation may also change the way others view themselves, may show them a quality they didn't realize they had, or help them realize the impact they've had.

Research has shown that people who appreciate others and those who receive appreciation are both happier. When we give to other people, we feel happy. Make sure those people who work with you are appreciated. They will feel great, enjoy working with you, and do their best work. You, your co-workers, and the company all win.

http://switchandshift.com/7-powerful-motivators-to-improve-workplace-performance