Tailor Your Motivation Techniques

If you manage a team of more than a couple employees, chances are that each person is motivated by something different.

As their manager, learn what motivates each person on your team and tailor your motivation techniques accordingly.

You'll find that most people are motivated by much more than money. Some want and need routine praise. Others seek public recognition for a job well done, while some people prefer less public acknowledgement.

Some employees are motivated by being given increasingly more challenging tasks.

You may also find that you'll have employees on your team who are motivated by being included on your decision making process when you establish policies or procedures. And still others are motivated by being given as much autonomy as reasonably possible.

So, observe, listen, and then tailor your motivation techniques for each of your employees, and be prepared to tweak those techniques if necessary as each person grows within your organization.

Comments

Best New Leadership Book Of 2025

Each year, after reviewing dozens of books about leadership, management, business and life skills, I select my pick for the best new leadership book of the year. During 2025, I reviewed on this blog 48 books, and I choose Radical Listening: The Art Of True Connection as the best new leadership book of 2025. To be an excellent leader you need to be an exceptional listener. Sadly, too many business leaders don't listen well or don't listen to a broad enough range of their employees. This great book will help leaders become better listeners – radical listeners. “For leaders, radical listening must start at the top of an organization,” state the authors Prof. Christian Van Nieuwerburgh (PhD) and Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener . “Unless there is a clear and sustained commitment to radical listening from leaders, others are less likely to be fully engaged with the idea. This is, of course, easier said than done.” “Most leaders woul...

10 Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership -- John C. Maxwell

Soon I'll post my full review of John C. Maxwell's latest book, The 5 Levels of Leadership . In the meantime, here are some of my favorites quotes from the book that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catal...

How to Be a Leader – 9 Principles from Dale Carnegie

Today, I welcome thought-leader Nathan Magnuson as guest blogger... Nathan writes : This is it, your first day in a formal leadership role. You’ve worked hard as an individual contributor at one or possibly several organizations. Now management has finally seen fit to promote you into a position as one of their own: a supervisor. You don’t care if your new team is only one person or ten, you’re just excited that now – finally – you will be in charge! Unfortunately the euphoria is short-lived. Almost immediately, you are not only overwhelmed with the responsibilities of a team, but you quickly find that your team members are not as experienced or adroit as you. Some aren’t even as committed. You find yourself having to repeat yourself, send their work back for corrections, and staying late to fill the gap. If something doesn’t change soon, you might just run yourself into the ground. How did something that looked so easy ...

How To Maximize Your Chances Of Landing The CEO Role

In the new book, CEO Ready , authors Mark Thompson and Byron Loflin reveal what you need to do to maximize your chances of being the one who secures the top spot. Specifically, they detail the seven key stakeholders who weigh in on whether to choose you as CEO. “Collectively, we have coached more than 200 executives who have been selected by their board members to become CEOs,” share the authors. “We can help you prepare to be a great CEO either in your current organization or elsewhere. We will share tools you can use to get objective feedback from all stakeholders, so you have complete visibility into what you’re up against.” As you seek the CEO role, the authors explain that leadership selection isn't the methodical, objective process that one often imagines. They add that decisions aren't made by robotic executives ticking boxes for attributes such as strategic fit, core competencies, or cultural alignment. Instead, the process is deeply personal, emotional, a...

How To Tap Into The Wisdom Of People Around You

“Too often, we don’t find out what’s truly on others’ hearts and minds because we don’t know how to ask the right questions in the right ways,” explains Jeff Wetzler , author of the book, ASK . In his timely, must-read book, Wetzler shows you a powerful method called The Ask Approach™ , based on a simple premise: that tapping into what other people truly think, know, and feel is a game-changing superpower for leaders. Wetzler explains that the only thing that allows you to understand what’s on another person’s mind better is just asking them. Following the powerful The Ask Approach™ method will lead you to smarter decisions, more creative solutions, and deeper relationships. Also, by asking more questions you’ll help break down barriers, resolve challenges, encourage collaboration, and imagine new ways of doing things. The five practical steps of the research-based, pressure-tested The Ask Approach™ m...

My Favorite Leadership Quotes From The 5 Levels Of Leadership Book

Here are some of my favorites quotes from John C. Maxwell 's book, The 5 Levels of Leadership that I believe should become a must-read book by any workplace/organizational leader: Good leadership isn't about advancing yourself. It's about advancing your team. Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. Leadership is action, not position. When people feel liked, cared for, included, valued, and trusted, they begin to work together with their leader and each other. If you have integrity with people, you develop trust. The more trust you develop, the stronger the relationship becomes. In times of difficulty, relationships are a shelter. In times of opportunity, they are a launching pad. Good leaders must embrace both care and candor. People buy into the leader, then the vision. Bringing out the best in a person is often a catalyst for bringing out the best in the team. Progress comes only from taki...

How To Negotiate Disagreement Without Giving Up Or Giving In

In today’s age of rising division and polarization, disagreement often feels like a zero-sum game. Unable or unwilling to negotiate conflict with skill, we ignore it or avoid it for as long as possible; when we are forced to face it, we escalate everyday disagreements and temporary flare-ups as if they’re life-and-death. Neither approach addresses underlying issues, promotes stronger relationships, nor yields satisfying results. It’s no wonder we try to avoid conflict and have a challenging time finding consensus. Conflict is getting the better of us. But what if conflict could be reframed—not as an obstacle to be overcome but as an opportunity to forge stronger relationships? In the new book, Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In , two former Harvard faculty—internationally-recognized negotiator, mediator and conflict management expert Robert Bordone , a Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School, and leading behavi...

7 Honest-Feedback-Extracting-Questions To Ask When Hiring

Awhile ago, the Harvard Business Review published some great questions that Gilt Groupe CEO Kevin Ryan asks when he is checking references. Ryan serves on the board of Yale Corporation, Human Rights Watch, and INSEAD , and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He holds a B.A. from Yale University and a M.B.A from INSEAD. His main seven honest-feedback-extracting-questions (and follow-ups) are: Would you hire this person again? If so, why and in what capacity? If not, why not? How would you describe the candidate's ability to innovate, manage, lead, deal with ambiguity, get things done and influence others? What were some of the best things this person accomplished? What could he or she have done better? In what type of culture, environment, and role can you see this person excelling? In what type of role is he or she unlikely to be successful? Would you describe the candidate as a leader, a ...

The Many Times You Should Thank Customers

In your leadership role, it's vital that your team members know how to deliver excellent customer service. " Knock Your Socks Off " type service as book editor Ann Thomas and Jill Applegate would say. Part of delivering excellent customer service is saying "Thank You" to your customers and knowing when to say "Thank You". Thomas and Applegate recommend telling your customers "Thank You" during at least these nine situations : When they do business with you...every time. When they compliment you (or your company) When they offer you comments or suggestions When they try one of your new products or services When they recommend you to a friend When they are patient...and even when they are not so patient When they help you to serve them better When they complain to you When they make you smile You and your team members can say "Thank You" : Verbally In writing (and don't underestimate the power of perso...

How To Be More Impactful Through Entrepreneurial Giving

This Thanksgiving as you think about what you are grateful for, think, too, about how you can be more giving. To help you discover a more giving you, read the new book, A Talent For Giving , by John Studzinski . It introduces the meaning of entrepreneurial giving - a hands-on approach to philanthropy that harnesses skills, expertise, and resources. Through thought-provoking insights, A Talent for Giving offers a powerful new roadmap for impact as Studzinski shows how anyone, regardless of financial means, can become a force for change. You do that by maximizing your Talent , Time , and Treasure and by embracing these values alongside others like Trust , Technology , and Trial , according to Studzinski. “Giving is any act of kindness or generosity that recognizes and respects the dignity of another human being,” shares Studzinski. “It can be something very simple – a smile, or a hug or a few words. And on a larger scale, it’s giving your time,...

Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

Search This Blog