Nurturing People = Nurturing Motivation: Part 2

That's right, even Superman's got heroes to keep together!

This is a continuation of what I've found makes a team happy and motivated - see Part 1!

Let People Know You're There For Them

Making yourself accessible boosts engagement, and I don't mean just "ping me if you need anything" but as in visiting folks and just saying hello and asking how they're doing.  Stopping by at least once a day (if you don't sit near your team) to share a few words with folks you haven't talked to much before and asking if they need anything doesn't take much and can go a long way in helping people feel that you care.  I knew that I cared for my team but more important, I wanted them to know that I did, so that they felt comfortable enough to come to me with any concerns or feedback that could improve our processes and organization in any way.

Everyone is Great - In Their Own Way (but maybe not for your team!)

You may find that some people on your team aren't doing well.  On my team, many folks assumed that these people had some flaw, some fault in character, or simply possessed a lax work ethic.  I generally haven't found this to be true when someone isn't performing.

I sat down and talked with the so-called "problem people" individually.  They were all incredibly smart in their own way.  It came down to job fit.  People work because they want to: When they feel connected with their task and with their colleagues, they feel engaged.  No amount of carrots and sticks will make people really bring themselves fully to their jobs if it's a case of trying to fit a round peg into a square hole.

Nonetheless, the wrong fit can cause problems and grief to the greater team, so I made sure to address these cases in a timely manner for resolution.  But, it's usually not the case that there's just something "wrong" with the person.  When I spoke with underperformers, I opened without accusations or assumptions - just observations.  Then I invited the person to present his or her point of view first.  I acknowledged their viewpoint and gave them a realistic view of what they'd need to do to succeed on the team.  It was their choice - they could do what was needed, or they could always choose another path.

Each time, I found that not only did the individual feel vindicated, they were gratified that they weren't seen as a cog in the machine; consequently their attitude improved even though a few ultimately decided to leave.  I was happy to see them move onto great roles suited to them.

Moreover, other team members saw that it's possible to figure out a solution that doesn't dehumanize anybody involved.  As a result, team members felt safer to be themselves within their roles.

Present Reality, Inspire Hope

I never imagined I'd quote Napoleon, but he purportedly said something akin to "Present reality, but inspire hope" with regards to firing up his troops. I really do believe in this.  You can't hide the truth, however ugly, from anybody for very long.  People are smart; they figure things out!  I always try to convey to my teams the reality of the circumstance, but follow it up with what I am (or what management is) doing to mitigate and/or what we can do as a team to make lemonade out of lemons.

If people know that influencing factors are internal and therefore controllable, they are more at ease.  I know that's true for me!  Most important, let everyone know that you're in it together, and that there's nothing that you can't overcome as a team. Solidarity is a great feeling, and it binds people; they know they're not cast into the waves of uncertainty alone.

These are the main themes of what I believe makes a difference in nurturing a team of productive, motivated individuals.  A team may be a collective of people, but it comprises individual human beings who have their own perspectives and histories to bring to bear.  If you see your team as people no matter what kind of organization you're in - even if their core job is flipping widgets - you're already well on your way to having the kind of approach that cultivates a strong ship.

Nurturing People = Nurturing Motivation: Part 1

Yes, you *can* motivate people!

Have you ever slogged away at some task, whether for work or school, and thought, "Why am I doing this?"  I certainly have - whether it's because I didn't know why it was applicable to my life (during school - I won't mention which subject!) or why I was being asked to do what I was doing because I didn't have the appropriate context.

There has been no shortage of discussion on how to motivate people, especially at the workplace.  During the past two years I've had the pleasure (in all senses of the word) of managing teams.  I've learned a great deal from working with these wonderful people.  Overall, I cannot emphasize enough that every manager should see their team for what it is - a group of distinct individuals who are wholly human, just like you.

It doesn't matter whether you have one person reporting to you, or 50 (as has been the case for me).  The moment you begin to see a team merely as metrics of output, you've dehumanized everyone.  That can lead to behaviors or actions/inactions that lead to disengagement.  People pick up on these subtleties in communication, or lack thereof.

I'd like to share with you some of my most valuable learnings.  They may seem like simple common sense, but often the obvious bears revisiting.

Know What Your Team Does

It's critical to know what your folks do so that you can connect with them and understand what they're going through.  Otherwise if they come to you with a problem, you may not know its nature and how to best handle it.  If possible, the best way to do this is to do the job yourself.

My teams' core directive is work that is crucial to the business and yet rather repetitive in nature. Team members can't simply "check out" mentally either, because the task itself requires a great deal of detailed analysis, research, and concentration.

To understand their job, I went through the same training as new hires, and placed myself at the mercy of quality control as I completed tasks.  Having done this hundreds of times, I can understand what my team does on a daily basis and troubleshoot when needed.

Let People Know You Understand

In having done the same job as my team, I can also understand how easily one can become demotivated: Why am I doing this? It's repetitive, my work won't readily lead to significant innovations or recognition, why should I work hard?

In other realms, I know that I am willing to work on such "drudgery" as tendus at the barre for dance and scales on the piano because I understand the context, and I know what's in it for me: If I don't regularly practice these rote tasks to the utmost of my ability, I won't be able to dance well, or play music well. Everything, even the smallest thing, has its place in the overall goal of being an artist and performer.

As a manager, it's important to provide this context to people. I've found that it can make a real difference in motivation if you:

1) Acknowledge that your folks' work may be repetitive and boring in nature/difficult/whatever challenge they face … 

… but …

2) Convey what ultimate impact their work brings to the business so they can make the connection

3) Encourage them to look for ways to bring their own creativity and problem solving skills into the mix within the parameters you work in - and to share any best practices they develop.

That way people know you understand what they're going through - the good, the bad, and the ugly - but they know they can bring themselves to their roles in a way that makes sense for the business.

We All Want to Learn and to Grow

Give people the opportunity to learn, and give them the chance to stretch the limits of their ability in ways that are manageable.  In other words, promote good stress - present surmountable challenges.  It creates a tough but scalable mountain for people to climb.

If you present Mount Everest and tell people to get to the top, which is so high that no one can see it from the ground, few are going to be motivated enough to even get up to base camp because there is no end in sight.

For example, I've looked for opportunities for my team members to work on special projects.  Sometimes projects have come to us, but often I've reached out to the engineering teams to see what we can help them with.  I give those folks who are poised for more stimulation to keep them growing and motivated the chance to work on these projects.  And depending on how they do, they may get more in the future, or become mentors to others.  They grow, and the projects break up the monotony of their core jobs.

A Few Kind Words

In general, I believe that people want to serve, people want to be of value, and they want to matter.  I certainly do!  As my mother said to me and my sister when we were kids, "Be a Useful Bunny!",  referring to a coloring book of Bugs Bunny being such a slacker that he nearly lost his girlfriend before he finally shaped up.  (He even let all her ice cream melt because he didn't turn on the freezer like he was supposed to - he took a nap instead!)

This innate desire to be of value is why acknowledgement of achievements and efforts is so important.  Especially in a job function where the activity is rote and people can feel reduced to a set of quality and productivity metrics, it's a manager's job to bring back the humanity of the job to make sure people remain engaged.

Otherwise, people begin to lose the sense of personal connectedness to their role and to the greater good, and why they matter to the team, the organization, and the company.  If they feel like they don't matter, why should they even try to do well?  Disengagement is not where anyone wants to be, and it causes the organization and business to suffer.

Little things don't take much effort, and they can go a long way.  When I saw that people on my team were making improvements in their productivity and quality, even if they hadn't yet met targets, I sent them emails congratulating them on their progress and encouraged them to keep it up.  I asked them to let me know if there was anything I could do to support them in their journey.  This not only showed that I actually noticed their individual progress; it showed that I noticed them at all.

This had a profound effect.  People responded enthusiastically, and the morale improvement was palpable on the floor - there was energy and a heightened sense of connectedness.  And, it only took me a few minutes to talk to my leads to see who they were concerned about, check the metrics, and send an email.  Such a simple thing took almost no effort on my part, but I wanted them to know that each of the recipients was a valued team member - I took it upon myself to care, as I believe every manager should.

There's more to come - I didn't want to create an unduly long post, so please stay tuned for Part 2!

Competition as Learning Opportunity: A Frame of Mind

You know the feeling: Someone got a nod from the executive director for a good idea at a meeting and you think, "That could've been me!" Or, there's a dancer in your class or company who can seem to do no wrong *and* nail every triple pirouette.  These situations bring out your competitive spirit, which can grow from admiration to jealousy. You can let it eat you alive, or you can use it to help you be the best you can be so you can identify strengths, areas of improvement, and fire you up to form a game plan for continuous learning.  

In other words, what mindset you have can make a dramatic difference in your own personal outcome.  There's competition for the pure sake of it, and there's competition and progress.  To illustrate, the brilliant pianist Lang Lang's early childhood was dominated by the singular desire to be No. 1, whether it was to place first in every competition he entered, or to rank first at the conservatory.  When he didn't place in his second competition, the young Lang Lang beat up his consolation prize (a stuffed dog) in fury.  It wasn't until his mid-teens that his teacher, Gary Graffman, asked him to give up competitions and encouraged him to look inside himself and the music he played.  Until he could do this, the young pianist would not be able to learn the artistic depth required of a consummate musician.  Lang Lang is now considered one of the most exciting and engaging classical pianists in the world today. 

Whenever I feel that sense of urgency upon seeing excellence exhibited by another and that secret, terrible thought voices itself: "That could be me! ... Right?", I remember the below.  Give these a try when you're bitten by the competitive bug and see how you can grow!

Acknowledge the desire to be the best you can be.

It's natural to want to do well and to gain recognition for your talents and skills.  Understanding this and being okay with it is the first step on the path to learning!

Allow the performance, knowledge, and skills demonstrated by others light a fire under you.

Think about what you can work on - where does that other person shine?  What could you do to gain skill and/or expertise in that area?

Remember what you’re good at, and work on making these assets even stronger.

In doing so, people will see clearly where you shine!

For example, I have some significant shortcomings as a Chinese dancer in terms of technique and flexibility. When I'm in class, I always work on every aspect to try and improve where I am weaker to gain overall prowess as a dancer.  When I perform, however, I learn choreography that challenges me and yet allows me to show my greatest strengths - high energy, knee turns, and acting.  Similarly, in high school tennis matches I would try to set up plays so that I could be close to the net for low, fast hits since I regularly found myself noticeably shorter than my opponents. 

Use others’ competitiveness to your advantage. 

I don’t mean to go out of your way to hurt others; I mean to let the most negative parts bounce off you and to absorb the rest and convert it into positive energy for you.  That sounds remarkably new agey, so let me illustrate with an example.  

I was an underdog when I played competitive tennis in high school.  My opponents, usually tall, leggy girls, would see a short kid with socks pulled all the way up and a big hat my mother would make me wear so I wouldn’t get sunburnt.  In other words, I didn’t look like a tennis player; I looked awkward.  But the match would start and there would be surprise; I wasn’t a bad player, after all.  I would often face opponents who would grow frustrated as I gained points and won games in a set; I could feel anger searing me from across the court.  But, the more hostile an opponent got, the calmer and more focused I became.  I simply channeled her anger into quiet control on my part, and I would usually win these games.  I’d developed a way to take someone else’s negative energy and use it to help me focus.  

If you really have to compete with someone or something, compete with yourself.  

Accomplished something?  Set a new goal!  That way, you’ll drive yourself to achieve on ever higher levels, rather than allow admiration of another turn into envy or jealousy on dangerous levels (a little bit can be helpful to push you, though).  

Celebrate your successes.

Compete with yourself, yes, but remember to celebrate your successes when you reach a milestone; take a moment to stop and acknowledge what you’ve accomplished.  Otherwise, if you’re like me, you’ll just look to the next goal and risk driving yourself to exhaustion because you can ultimately never become a master of anything!  

For example, the last time I was promoted, I thought, "yes!" and then the next day it was, "what’s it going to take to prove myself, and what do I need to do to make it to the next level?"  In the dance studio, I hadn’t realized the extent of the progress I’d made towards executing a series of difficult "propeller" turns until my coach mentioned at the end of my rehearsal that even though I was far from perfect, I’d come a long way already.  I realized I could only see what still wasn’t working and had focused only on what lay ahead.  It was a lovely moment, to stop and realize that yes, I was no longer falling all over the place and feeling nauseous!  

Be aware that there will always be someone who can do something better than you, in some way. (And that's okay!)

We can’t be super or even proficient at everything, and that’s an incredible blessing.  When you feel that pang in your chest that someone is better than you, remind yourself that this person may be better than you at something - not that he or she is intrinsically better than you.  Therein lies the difference, and only when you believe this will you have the power to take a step back and assess what it is that person does well, and how you can learn from them.  That way, every situation is an opportunity to grow.  

That’s the beauty and mystery of life; if we could become absolute masters, we’d have to move onto something new lest we stagnate and lose that sense of possibility and learning.  Although I must admit that in my most down-trodden moments I wonder if I tell myself this only to assuage my bruised sense of self-worth, the tactic works.  Separate the self from the situation, as painful and difficult as it is, and seek to understand what you can gain.  In the end, I hope you’ll find, as I have, that a competitive spirit can be a surprisingly collaborative one at its heart. 

The Courage to Be Creative - Your Way

It may not be the fate - or even the desire - of each of us to change the world, to be the next Steve Jobs or Pablo Picasso.  That said, this shouldn’t stop us from doing what we believe in.  Unfortunately, the messages we receive are often conflicting, and creativity is not always encouraged.  In some cases there may be consequences for doing something in a different way, or to finding another way to go about it entirely.  This isn’t always the case, but if the end result doesn’t meet expectations, it can be like a door has been slammed on your creative idea.  You wanted to be creative, but it failed.  You’d better stick to the basics, buddy.  

The pressure to stifle creativity can begin in school.  As Sir Ken Robinson states in his TED talk, “Intelligence is diverse. Intelligence is dynamic. Intelligence is distinct.”  The irony is, many schools emphasize math and science and those areas that will ostensibly help us become employed when we become adults.  There may be those with a gift in a certain area, but for the rest of us average children, we’d better stick to the grain or risk mediocrity - or worse, poverty - for the remainder of our lives.  


But what about those people who are brilliant in their own ways, but who don’t believe their talents have merit because they receive constant reinforcement that they are not?  Their gifts may diverge from math and science and other conventionally “applicable” disciplines.  These students only know that they are average, or less than average, in those courses that promising students are supposed to do well in.  


Take the example of my mother. Everything about her is musical: her abilities of retention, analysis, performance, and interpretation of classical music are extraordinary (my assessment is not, I assure you, solely based on the fact that she is my mother). She should be an artist in some capacity. What's tragic is that she sees herself as a failure. 

Throughout my mother's schooling she was repeatedly told that her talents were useless, and she still believes it to this day.  She is plagued by the fact that she never mastered advanced math.  When I tell her how valuable her true self is, she beams for a moment, only to shake her head and say, “Yes, but what use is it?”  This firm belief is why she precludes herself from any possibility of starting an artistic life, even in her retirement.



It’s almost as if the message is: If you’re not innovative in a shortlist of pre-approved fields, you might as well give up. After all, how many George Balanchines and Paul McCartneys are out there?  

As Sir Ken Robinson put it succinctly and rather devastatingly, “We are educating people out of their creativity.”


How can we find a balance?  How can we do our due diligence, yet still find the breathing space to find our true talents?  If we don’t happen to have a supportive community be it family or school or workplace, we must find the courage to strike out in our own ways.  


First, acknowledge your talents and abilities.  Make a list and keep it handy, if it’ll help remind you of who you are and that you are valuable for your unique qualities.  In my mother’s case she can’t even bring herself to do this first step, so I’m writing a list for her to see what results.  I’m hoping my admiration for her will help her see just how valuable her talents are.


Second, find opportunities, no matter how small, to put your ideas into play.  Attach a concrete reason to work on your idea.  As I read once, “If you like something, find a way to call it work.”  Give yourself a goal.  Before I started this blog I knew I loved to write, but had never done anything about it.  I realized I’d never given myself a reason.  My blog was the vehicle through which I set my goals.  Every week I had to brainstorm ideas to write about. Even if I didn’t come up with anything I ultimately used, at least I’d done something.  Psychologically this reinforced the legitimacy of my project, and equally important, it became a habit.


Third, find a way to get some kind of external validation for what you’re doing.  It’s really difficult working in a vacuum after the initial groundwork is laid.  At some point, find someone to share your work in progress with (don’t wait for that perfect moment; it doesn’t exist!).  It could be a family member, friend, or a shot in the dark submission to someone in that field whom you admire.  If your idea is work-related, try to find a mentor or someone you trust to bounce your framework off of.  That person may point out aspects you’d never considered, allowing you to strengthen your work before you bring it to a bigger (or more crucial) audience.


It’s a cycle. After presenting to a confidant, it’s usually necessary to go back to your inner world and reassess, restructure, redo.  Hopefully this process will build on your confidence, even as setbacks give you reason to improve and/or bolster your belief in your work.  The key is not to lose courage.  If your idea means enough to you, you’ll find ways to carry on and fight for it.  It takes guts to try something you might have been told is impractical, will lead to a dead end, will cause you to lose your current job, will render you a pauper ... the naysayer’s list is endless.  

But as Steve Jobs said, why live your life for someone else?  If you don’t believe in your own particular kind of creativity, the only person who will be left asking “What if ...?” in the end, is you.