Does anyone else feel totally drained?
It’s an obvious statement to make, given everything that has happened over the last couple of years (and is continuing to happen).
But here’s the thing…is anyone else finding it harder than normal to regain their motivation?
Even for the most passionate business owners, our commitment towards what has driven us previously has wavered and waned. And as for our staff, not only have they had to deal with a great number of changes, they’ve also had it brought to their attention that it is possible to work on their terms to a much greater degree.
As a result, the working landscape and team dynamics have changed forever, and so it may be worth having a look at what we all need as humans in the here and now and building our motivation and support structure afresh from there.
What Do We Need as Humans Now??
With everything going on the way it has, our desires as humans have become way more primitive despite the greater acceptance of technology.
More than ever, we’re craving certainty, safety, clarity, and predictability, because we still can’t book a holiday without a degree of trepidation, so we want our work to be solid ground at least.
Therefore, as an employer, it’s vital that we strip back the fancy, flashy parts of our business and assess whether our organisation is providing the primary human requirements that have been lacking elsewhere in our team’s lives.
Remove ‘Unnecessary Anxiety’
~Business Game Changer Special Promotion~
Whenever the topic of motivation is discussed, our minds generally tend to navigate towards mega-exciting goals, but the reality is that if we can provide a team with a space that is free of anxiety, they’ll likely be happy to be there as opposed to anywhere else.
One of the biggest and best ways to achieve this is to provide as much light on the working journey as possible, and let’s face it, there has been that much change recently. I dare say that you’ll have a LOT of ad-hoc processes that are still in place today. Either that or you have a blend of what used to be in place alongside what the team had been doing in lockdowns.
By setting the path clearly for your teams, providing clarity and the processes around their roles, they’ll feel more comfortable in moving forward within the role they’re in (especially if they’re working remotely).
Set More Short-Term Goals
Everyone in the team should have a set of goals, but they’re generally taught to be set for the end of the year or beyond. Unfortunately, a lot of us haven’t had many chances to achieve many goals, so it’s about time we picked up some wins for ourselves.
The main chemical in our brain that makes us feel good is dopamine, and it generally kicks in when your brain is getting ready for a win. Motivational videos make us feel that we’re about to go and take on the world, but they never actually help us to get any closer to any kind of win, which is dangerous because dopamine can be addictive.
So instead of watching some loud guy on YouTube shouting at you, set yourself and your team several mini goals that act as incremental improvements and celebrate them. Break down your greater goals and set a load of short checkpoints that allow you to focus on the more immediate future and give yourself a little dopamine hit in a way more productive way.
By Andy Reid
Andy Reid Bio
Andy Reid is an award-winning Auctioneer, Mental Health Advocate, Mentor and Speaker. He is also the Founder and Director of Sold By Group, a full-service auctioneering company dedicated to maximising auction results for their clients.
Learn more about Andy Reid: https://andyreid.com.au/
Learn more about Sold By Group: https://www.soldbygroup.com.au/
