How to Motivate Others

One of my most frequently asked questions is, "How do you motivate others?" Well, start with yourself. I always feel a little weird when I give that answer because people cast me in the role of motivational speaker. I really don't like that label, and I'll tell you why. It's damn near impossible to motivate anyone else. Having said that, good leaders are often good motivators. If you want to be an effective leader, it's a very useful skill to cultivate. If you want to motivate others, understand what motivates them. After that, it's really just a simple negotiation. You've got to decide just how much you can or you're willing to help that other person satisfy his or her own motivations, needs, and desires. And for managers, yes, that means sitting down with each person and fully understanding what rings his or her bell. Still, there's some tricks, and the trick of the trade in the speaking business is this: Be motivated yourself. Doesn't matter if you're talking to 1 person or 500. Look, if you want to motivate people, don't just talk the talk. You've got to walk the walk. Haven't you ever noticed that really successful motivational speakers are really motivated people? That's no accident. Enthusiasm, sincerity, and confidence are contagious. Unfortunately, so are pessimism, gloom, and complacency. What rings your bell? What turns you on? Satisfy your own motivations and share that enthusiasm with others. Ultimately, it's up to each person to find self-motivation. But when you're a motivated and enthusiastic person yourself, that's the best way to motivate and inspire others. Rupert Murdoch said, "In motivating people, you've got to engage their minds and their hearts. I motivate people, I hope, by example, and perhaps by excitement, by having productive ideas to make others feel involved." Think like a black belt for yourself.

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