How Language Affects Your Performance

Posted on by Scott

people-1099804_640“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” No doubt, you heard this phrase from your parents growing up. You may even have shared it with your own children in an attempt to sooth the pain caused by hurtful comments. It’s meant as a declaration of mental strength, a statement of an individual’s ability to rise above insult, and a belief that words hold no power.

What a load of crap.

The truth is, words do have power. The right ones, spoken by the right person, can hurt even worse than an actual physical assault. Of course, words can also heal; they can strengthen and encourage. It all depends on how they are used.

Like our posture and the way we dress, the way we use language helps other people determine our capability in serving them. Our speech patterns – the combination of words we select and the way we utter them – communicate a great deal about our belief system and the way we approach our work. Language is an incredibly important part of what makes us human, yet we pay so little attention to using it properly.

Dr. Sophie Scott is a “speech neurobiologist” with University College in London. Using a technique called functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, Dr. Scott has actually mapped the way our brains interpret language. When someone speaks, two different parts of the brain go to work. The left temporal lobe begins interpreting the actual words that are spoken. It takes sound and converts it into concepts and images that help understand the content being shared.

But the sound of our voice, what Dr. Scott calls the “melody,” is processed by the right side of the brain. This is where we interpret music, and it helps us determine the mood and intent of the speaker. This part of the brain functions to ascertain someone’s actual feelings – regardless of the words they use. It’s this dual processing power that allows us understand how we should respond when someone says “It’s nice to meet you,” while also realizing whether or not they actually mean it.

Think about how you greet someone. Does your voice carry the same inflection and energy when meeting a customer as they do when meeting a friend? The words might be the same, but the meaning is often completely different. If your pitch drops and the speech is monotone or rushed, that customer greeting probably comes off as insincere and obligatory. Your greeting could cause a customer to feel like an unwelcomed intrusion – the exact opposite of the intended effect.

Do you speak in full sentences, or in short, clipped fragments? For instance, do you say “I can help you,” or do you just announce “Next?” Do you ask “What name would you like on the account?” or do you spit out “Name?” Try saying those phrases out loud. I bet the tone of your voice changes as you shifted from full sentences to fragments. That’s because our choice of words has an impact on the way we say them. And the way we speak impacts the way customers feel.

A sincere, meaningful greeting helps put the customer in a cooperative state of mind. Continuing the interaction with engaging language ensures they maintain a positive impression of the encounter. You’re already talking to them; why not make the most of it by using language that enhances the experience as much as possible?

Here’s another reason to be more careful with your word choice. The words you use not only affect the mood of your customer; they affect your own mood as well. Remember, even as we speak, our ears are pick up those sounds. Our brains are interpreting the very words we say to process both the meaning and emotion behind them. When we say words like “No,” an fMRI scan shows a release of stress-related hormones. We become more anxious and irritable after hearing our own negativity. Long term exposure to the word “No,” even though we are the one saying it, can impact our appetite, sleep, and memory.

In fact, any kind of negative language has detrimental effects on our health. And the longer it goes on, the harder it is to stop. We find what we go looking for. Pessimists see everything as a problem. Optimists somehow seem to find more opportunities. It makes sense then, to consciously use positive language whenever possible.

But that’s not enough. It’s not enough to choose positive words over negative ones. We have to use positive language with much higher frequency to overcome the damage negativity causes. Our brains are geared to respond more strongly to negative inputs. Negative language triggers the primal fight-or-flight response, so we pay attention to it. Positive language doesn’t pose a threat, so it barely registers.

We have to change our tone, for our individual and collective good.

Let’s start today. Let’s declare a cultural revolution within the organization and commit to changing the way we speak to each other, our customers, and ourselves. Let’s commit to saying “Yes” instead of “No.” Let’s turn our language into a powerful force for good. What do you say?

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Get Fired Up!

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match-268526_640Sometimes, you just run out of steam.

One day, you’re on fire; ready to tackle the world. These are the days when you get so much work done, and make so much forward progress, it feels like nothing can get in your way. The wins start stacking up. Your confidence swells. You end the day looking forward to tomorrow and the great things you’ll accomplish. It’s even hard to sleep because your mind is racing with ideas, answers, and possibilities.

But when morning comes, it feels like the tank is empty. All that energy and excitement is gone. In fact, you’re starting to wonder what made you think you could have an impact at all. Engaged? Nope. Motivated? Not a chance. It’s all you can do to get out of bed and put one foot in front of the other. Forget “seizing the day” or “taking the bull by the horns.” Maybe, if you’re lucky, you can make it to lunch without anyone asking too much of you. Maybe, if you go through the motions today, tomorrow will be better.

We all have those days when our confidence takes a hit. It certainly happens to me. Despite my best intentions, I just can’t muster enough willpower to ignite the spark that usually drives me to do my best work. Sometimes, it’s a bit of bad news that brings me down. Something doesn’t go my way and the setback seems particularly harsh – a key resource lets me down or a pet project falls flat.

Sometimes I just feel tired. The energy I’ve expended in recent days, either at work or even on projects outside the office, takes its toll and I need to recuperate. Sometimes a new project seems a little too big to tackle and I feel drained just thinking about it. I don’t feel confident in what I’m doing and my motivation takes a hit.

You’ve been there, haven’t you? No one can maintain a high level of motivation all the time. Everyone feels the drain. The key is to recognize what’s happening. Temporary drops in engagement are normal, possibly even healthy. But long-term disengagement is dangerous. I don’t like feeling that way. I like feeling energized by my work and look for ways to rekindle my motivation.

Back in January, I wrote about some things I do to stay motivated – activities that help boost my mood. Today, I want to share three mental exercises that I think are key to building confidence and, by extension, engagement. How we think determines how we act. How we act determines our impact.[Tweet “How we think determines how we act. How we act determines our impact.”]

Exercise #1 – WAKE UP!
The first step to rebuilding your confidence and motivation is to shake yourself out of the mental stupor that’s clouding your judgement. So what if something didn’t go your way? Who cares about that person who shot you down? Stop letting circumstances and people outside of your control dictate how you feel. Take ownership of your mental state and snap out of it.

Remember, you were born to do great things! You have talents and skills that no one else can provide! You have value that people desperately need. The longer you let self-doubt and hesitation keep you from reaching your potential, the longer you starve the world of your gifts. Now is the time to wake up!

Exercise #2 – GET UP!
You won’t accomplish anything just sitting there. Stop stewing in self-pity and malaise and start moving. The only way to realize your true potential is to act. That means it is time to attack your future head-on. Seize control of your emotions by engaging in activity that moves you forward.

Go for an easy win. Reach for the low hanging fruit. Take the first, tiny step forward. Get a small accomplishment under your belt and see how great it feels. Now use that feeling to propel forward into the next, more significant step. Build up some momentum and let inertia work for you. Now is the time to get up!

Exercise #3 – LOOK UP!
Once you’re on the move, keep your focus onward and upward. Let nothing pull your attention away from the goal. All it takes is one distraction to stall your efforts. That’s what caused you to lose confidence to begin with, right?

So don’t look back. This is not the time for “what if’s” and “if only’s.” If you start looking back at what could have been, you’ll feel the urge to wallow in the past. Don’t look around at what others are doing. It’s too easy to see someone doing something different or better. Self-doubt lives in our peripheral vision. So keep your eyes front and your feet moving. Now is the time to look up!

I’m constantly amazed at how quickly I can become my own worst enemy. One minute things are going great. The next, I’ve let my focus drift. I’ve stopped moving. I’ve fallen asleep. Thankfully, my mind is equally capable of reversing the downward spiral. Once I take control of my emotions by waking up, getting up, and looking up, I feel the fire within ignite. Once that fire gets burning, there’s nothing that can stop me.

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What Are You Afraid Of?

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fear-1172407_640In the 1991 film Defending Your Life, Albert Brooks plays a man named Daniel Miller. Daniel dies in a car accident and finds himself in Judgement City, a way-station for the recently departed. It is here that souls are assigned a defender and, through a series of interviews, must demonstrate they have overcome the fears that govern most human behavior in order to be granted access into heaven. Those found to still be struggling with fear are sent back to earth, reincarnated so they can try again. Daniel is forced to relive several incidents from his life, played back on a large video screen, and attempts to justify his often less than heroic actions.

I don’t know what the afterlife might hold for us, but I am convinced that fear is one of our most formidable opponents here on earth. While motivation drives us forward, fear is what holds us back. The most exciting goals and meaningful activities can be easily thwarted by fear. It’s only by overcoming our fears that we can break through the barriers keeping us from realizing our fullest potential.[Tweet “It’s only by overcoming our fears that we can realize our fullest potential.”]

Some people have a fear of rejection. They fear their ideas will be deemed insignificant, insufficient, or even laughable. They worry about not fitting in. Rather than seeking to stand out, they seek to blend in. Their desire for acceptance overshadows their desire to grow and achieve.

Some people have a fear of failure. They fear falling short of the goal and ultimately decide it is better not to tempt fate. After all, if you never make the attempt, you don’t have to worry about losing. And for them, the potential pain of losing overrides the potential benefits of winning.

Still others have a fear of success. They fear actually achieving the goal. They’ll never admit it, but successfully attaining their goal is causes great anxiety. Reaching a new level of performance brings on a lot of pressure. You might be expected to continue performing at a high level. You might find yourself with a new set of challenges and responsibilities you don’t necessarily want. Pursuing a goal is often more comforting than actually reaching it.

These fears manifest themselves in various ways. Worry, anxiety, timidity, disengagement, lack of communication, procrastination, low performance, missed opportunities, decreased trust. Any of these sound familiar?

As leaders, it’s critical that we help team members overcome the fears that are holding them back; but that process has to start with facing our own. Those in leadership positions are often the most susceptible to fear. Their position adds a different dimension to the motivation vs. fear equation. It can be difficult to help someone else move forward when I’m being held back myself.

Overcoming fear is a process. It occurs to me that there are three key steps to mastering the fears that hold us back.

  1. Name it. When you feel yourself reluctant to take that next step, it’s important to identify exactly what’s causing that hesitation.
    • Why am I reluctant to take the next necessary step?
    • What negative consequences do I feel might result?
    • Why do I feel these negative consequences are likely to occur?
  2. Quantify it. Once you’ve named your fear, identify its impact on your progress.
    • What’s the cost to me should the negative consequences come to pass?
    • What’s the cost to me of not moving forward? What positive outcomes am I giving up?
    • What’s the worst case scenario? Do the benefits of moving forward outweigh the consequences?
  3. Address it. Assuming the potential benefits outweigh the potential negative consequences, identify the best way forward.
    • What steps should/could be taken to minimize the potential negative consequences?
    • Who can I confide in/work with to help me make the most of this opportunity?
    • How can I use this experience to propel my performance forward and lay the groundwork for even more success in the future?

Overcoming fear is a very real component of motivation. Without addressing the internal reservations that hold us back, we can’t fully embrace the challenges ahead. Without confronting that part of us that creates doubt, we’ll never realize our full potential. Ultimately, you may find that overcoming fear is the most motivating move of all.

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Are You a Former Performer?

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sad-597089_640Just about every workplace has one; that guy or gal who never delivers, but always has an excuse. It’s never their fault. There’s always some external reason that explains why the project wasn’t completed on time or the sales goal wasn’t met or customer satisfaction is down. Despite their best efforts, someone or something got in the way. And it’s too bad, really, because they would’ve hit a home run if not for the obstacle in their path.

But press these people on the details and you’ll find out there really never was a plan for success; just another string of excuses. You quickly start to deduce that they never really intended to perform at all. While others are working hard all around them, their goal is to expend as little effort as possible. They just show up every day doing the bare minimum necessary to collect a paycheck.

It’s always a tragedy when a top performer quits and leaves. It’s worse when they quit and stay. I call these people former performers. At one time, they represented the organization’s best and brightest. They were full of potential and full of passion. Others looked up to them, went to them for advice, and trusted them to show the way. [Tweet “It’s always a tragedy when a top performer quits and leaves. It’s worse when they quit and stay.”]

But something changed. Something caused them to lose their passion. The fire inside died and they’ve grown cold. Without that internal spark, there’s nothing to push them on, nothing driving them to succeed or challenging them to create something new. Now they’ve quit. They don’t perform, they just get in the way and slow things down – like a speedbump. And everybody hates speedbumps.

Some lose the spark following a big letdown. A major project didn’t go their way. They no longer occupy a key position. Someone else has risen up and stolen their limelight. They feel like they’ve fallen from the summit (or been pushed off) and the grapes are sour.

Others just get used to being told “no.” Their ideas have turned down so many times, it feels like death by a thousand cuts. Eventually, they start coming up with obstacles themselves. I guess it’s less painful to recognize a perceived barrier and abandon your idea than it is to have someone else squash it for you.

Perhaps for some, it’s a more natural degradation of passion. Their interests no longer align with that of the organization or the team. Industry changes have sucked some of the fun out of the job. Changes to their life situation has shifted personal priorities. Maybe burn out has set in.

Regardless of the cause, former performers hurt the team. Their passive aggressive approach sucks the energy from a room and steals the momentum from the team. The impact is even more profound when you consider that these individuals typically occupy leadership positions. That’s right, former performers are usually found in management – the perfect place to kill productivity while avoiding accountability.

Former performers talk a good game – in fact, they are often very good at fooling the executive suite – but they absolutely fail the test when it comes to personal accountability. They don’t perform. They don’t take responsibility. They don’t care. And because they don’t leave, others are forced to pick up the slack.

Here’s how you avoid becoming a former performer:

  1. Commit to always doing your best. Don’t give up or give in just because there are obstacles in the way. Remind yourself that the easy road isn’t always the right one and that the tough victories are always the sweetest. Keep in mind that giving yourself permission to stop caring, even for a brief period, is a dangerous step. Don’t go there. Just don’t.
  2. Align yourself with other top performers. Misery loves company, but so does success. If you’re not regularly working alongside people who seek excellence at every turn, then you’re likely hanging out with losers. Stick around too long, and you’ll become one yourself. Find the best and become part of that group.
  3. Work toward a vision. If you don’t have a vision of some better future state, then you are doomed to wander aimlessly. What do you want your job, the team, and the organization to look like a year from now? If you can’t articulate this, then what is it that’s driving you forward? Work with the other “A” players around you to create a vision of what could be and then push each other, and yourselves, to make it a reality.

Are you a top performer, or a former performer? Can you make an honest assessment? If you look in the mirror and see a former performer, it’s not too late for you. It’s not too late to reignite the spark and regain the passion that once fueled your best work. It’s there if you want it. So are the top performers around you. They’re waiting to add your passion and creativity to theirs. All you have to do is decide to join them.

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5 Tricks to Regain Your Motivation

Posted on by Scott

smiley-1041796_640I’d lost it. My mojo, my desire to achieve, my motivation to move forward… was gone.

I had started running in May, a natural progression of the workout routine I’d started a month earlier. I had caught the bug and was going for a run at least every other day. Things were going well – I’d lost some weight and felt better than I had in a long time.

But while out for a run during the last week of July, I somehow managed to injure my left foot. Within an hour of completing my run, I was barely able to stand, a stabbing pain pierced my heel. A quick internet search revealed the most likely diagnosis was plantar fasciitis. Recovery, however, would not be quick. The recommended course of action was rest and reduced activity while the condition resolved itself; but that could take six months to a year.

I tried to convince myself that the pain was temporary, but a couple of test runs proved otherwise. I was grounded. Unable to participate in my new favorite activity, my motivation to exercise plummeted. I started gaining weight again and found myself spending more and more time on the couch.

From time to time, we all suffer from a lack of motivation. Things are clicking along and suddenly, without warning, we hit a wall. Sometimes, all it takes is some sort of setback – a disappointing performance, lack of positive feedback, or even an injury. In other instances, a drop in motivation might result from boredom. Without variation, even the most worthwhile jobs lose their excitement.

Last week I wrote about personal accountability, suggesting ways to keep yourself focused on achieving the goals you set for yourself this year. Accountability is important, but motivation is critical. Think of accountability as external pressure to perform. Motivation, on the other hand, is the internal drive to achieve. Accountability can be avoided and suppressed, but once motivation kicks in it will not be denied.

When motivation ebbs, it can be difficult to regain. I have found there are five things I can do to rekindle the internal fire and boost my motivation.

  1. Listen to motivating music. There are certain songs that instantly boost my energy level. When I started running, I developed a playlist that never failed to keep me moving. Listening to those songs caused a shift in my mentality. I would instantly envision myself succeeding and my body responded. I enjoyed the sensation so much that I started listening to the playlist at other times. No matter what I’m doing, it inspires me to up my game just a bit. Do you have some go-to motivational music?

  2. Look at motivating images. Zig Ziglar used to tell the story of his own weight loss journey by describing how he once tore an ad from a magazine. The ad featured a fit male model, and he taped it to his mirror. Every morning Ziglar would look at the ad and ask himself “Zig, do you want to look like you or do you want to look like the guy in the magazine ad?” Similarly, my son has pictures and videos of successful musicians saved on his phone. He wants to be a musician and looking at them motivates him to practice. Looking at images of successful people can help boost my motivation because I imagine myself in their place and feel compelled to take the next step to achieve that goal. Do you have some go-to motivational images?

  3. Read motivating words. I love quotes. The right combination of words often cuts through the clutter and speaks to my soul so clearly that I cannot help but be motivated to act. For quite a while now, my favorite one has come from Karen Lamb. “A year from now you will wish you had started to day.” Every time I think about that quote, I imagine myself a year in the future and am motivated to get moving. Do you have some go-to motivational words?

  4. Talk to motivating people. Some people drag you down. Some lift you up. Avoid the former. Be the latter. Talking to people who whine and complain does nothing to help me get better. Talking to people who encourage and challenge me does. I’ve found that the best way to find motivators is to be one yourself. In fact, I can turn my own day around simply by encouraging someone else. As I speak uplifting words to them, I hear and internalize those same words. It’s a sure-fire way to remind myself of the goals I committed to achieve. Do you have some go-to motivational people?

  5. Do motivating things. They say the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. That first step might be difficult, but the second one is easier. Each subsequent step is easier still. The key is to take that first step – no matter how small you have to make it. Lost your motivation to work out? Go for a short walk. Lost your motivation to clean the house? Start by making the bed. One small victory provides the motivation necessary to move me just a bit further down the path. Do you have some go-to motivational activities?

I’m happy to report that I’m back on the exercise wagon. I’m still not running again, but I am walking daily. As of yesterday, I’ve hit my 10,000 step goal for 24 consecutive days. Of course, seeing the visual representation of my success displayed on my fitness tracker motivates me to keep the streak going.

I hope that, as we near the end of January, you are still on track with your personal improvement goals. If you’ve hit a speedbump – if something has caused you to lose motivation – try some of these tactics to regain it. There’s a lot to accomplish this year. You need to stay fired up.

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Are You Still Hungry?

Posted on by Scott

waiting2-e1450143761943Christmas is right around the corner. The New Year is less than two weeks away. And as you prepare to close the books on 2015, I have just one question for you…

Are you still hungry?

Remember the excitement you felt when you first started this job? Remember the fire that burned deep inside – the one that made you dream big and work hard? Do you still feel the drive to do great things?

Hunger is the most basic of needs. When you are hungry, nothing matters until you sate your appetite. When you are hungry – really hungry – you think of nothing else except satisfying that need. Hunger keeps you moving. It keeps you searching. It keeps you working.

This has been a good year. It’s been a great year. If you haven’t already, you need to stop right now and make a list of all the things you’ve accomplished over the past 12 months. I am shocked at what my team and I have done in such a short amount of time. But with all we’ve done – with all you and your team have done – there’s still more to do.

Is your head still in the game?

Do you still believe there are great things to be accomplished?

Are you still convinced that you have something special to offer?

Is this the team?

Are you the one?

Are you still hungry?

Because if you are, then this is not the end of the year; it’s the beginning. It’s not the finish line; it’s the starting line. And it’s time to get moving.

Everything up to this point has been practice. Everything up to now has been conditioning. Everything up to today has been preparation for our best work. As far as I’m concerned, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

My grandmother used to cook some incredible holiday meals. She would work all day to prepare a feast fit for a king. In the days leading up to a family gathering, she would say repeatedly “I hope you’re hungry. Bring your appetite.” I always did.

I remember one year at Christmas one of my cousins arrived having already eaten elsewhere. He didn’t have much of an appetite and only nibbled here and there. The look of disappointment on my grandmother’s face was unmistakable. Here was a bounty just waiting to be enjoyed. The table was set. The smells were overwhelming. The bounty was within arm’s reach – just waiting to be tasted. But he wasn’t hungry enough to act.

The table is set.

The feast is about to begin and there’s plenty for those who want it.

Are you still hungry?

Circle Up! Lead From the Huddle

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Hands-In-e1448857238616Paul looked across the line of scrimmage at the other team. He glanced at the scoreboard and then at the stands; full of friends and family, all anxiously awaiting the next play. Then he scanned the faces of his teammates. Each one stared intently at Paul, eager to receive his instructions. It was 1892 and, as captain of the Gallaudet University football team, Paul Hubbard felt the weight of the world on his shoulders.

The two teams were fairly evenly matched. Defenses on both sides had had little difficulty in thwarting any big offensive moves. But that came as no surprise to Paul. It’s easy to anticipate your opponent’s next move when they spell it out for you. You see, Paul and his Gallaudet Bison teammates were all deaf; so were the players lined up across from them. Gallaudet and their rival school were both universities designed for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Naturally, plays were relayed using American Sign Language. All you had to do was watch the quarterback’s hands, and you knew exactly what play he relayed to the rest of his team.

Paul suddenly realized that, unless he could devise a way to communicate with his team in a manner that prevented their rivals from seeing his signs, this would be a very long game. So he stepped back from the line and motioned his men to follow. Then he arranged them in a circle facing each other and relayed his instructions safe from prying eyes. In other words, he initiated the first football huddle.

Today, huddles are an expected part of any football game. In fact, just about every sport has adopted the huddle as way to bring the team together between plays. It’s a great way to share time-sensitive information, gain consensus, and boost motivation. Smart business teams also understand the value of the huddle. Teams that take advantage of opportunities to huddle routinely report increased productivity, camaraderie, and job satisfaction.

The thing I like most about the huddle is that it happens on the field – right in the midst of the game. When you’re in the middle of a huddle, its game time. There’s no time for practice. No time for debate. It’s all about execution. Once the huddle breaks, the game is on. That makes the huddle the most important meeting a team will ever have.

If you haven’t tried huddling with your team, maybe now is the time to give it a shot. Even if you currently utilize the huddle, you might want to check out Arina Vrable’s tips for running an effective team huddle. She provides some great ideas for incorporating this strategy into your daily routine.

  1. Keep it short. Shoot for no more than 15 minutes. You need to get out there and score some points.
  2. Keep it moving. This is not the time to make long-term plans. Focus on what’s needed to succeed today.
  3. Keep it going. Don’t let the practice die because it feels awkward at first. Like anything else, team huddles take some time to get right.

Leaders consistently ask me to help them with tips for motivating the team. I’m a long-time believer in the power of huddles to keep teams informed, focused, and accountable – all essential elements to motivation. Practiced consistently, a 15 minute huddle can dramatically impact the outcome of the day.

Committed teams look forward to the huddle. They see it as part of a game-winning strategy. And once the huddle breaks, every player knows exactly what they’re supposed to do in order to win. So what do you say, quarterback? Ready to win this game? OK then…circle up!

Knowing When Not To Quit

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running

Earlier this year, social media lit up for a few days after a University of Oregon runner, Tonguy Pepiot, narrowly lost the men’s steeplechase event at the Pepsi Team Invitational. It was back in April and Pepiot, well ahead as he approached the finish line, slowed down and raised his arms in celebration of his apparent victory. But while Pepiot slowed down, another runner, Meron Simon from the University of Washington, stepped on the gas. Simon closed the gap and thrust his chest through the tape, winning the event and leaving Pepiot both confused and defeated.

“Run through the finish.” It’s something coaches around the world repeat time and time again.I heard a version of it many time (and shouted it some too) during my son’s time on his school swimming team. It’s a message you’d think would eventually get through – especially to those competing at the elite level. And with video of Pepiot’s faux pas preserved on YouTube, surely nothing like this would happen for a long time, right?

Wrong.

Just ask Ben Payne. He slowed down at the finish of the 10,000 meter Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Georgia on July 4th. As Payne lifted his finger in victory, Scott Overall of Great Britain caught up and stole first place by 9/100ths of a second.

Or ask Olympic hopeful Molly Huddle. At the IAAF World Championships held in in Beijing in August, she had the bronze medal of the 10,000 meter race nailed down. She slowed down to celebrate and teammate Emily Infield blew by her to grab the last spot on the podium.

For some reason, there’s a temptation to coast as you near the end of the race. For those in front, perhaps there’s a desire to conserve energy for the next big event. Maybe those in back have a hard time believing the distance can’t be made up. Maybe everyone just gets tired.

Of course the same holds true for those of us competing in business. . Especially at this time of year, people tend to take their foot off the gas. The holiday season always seems to signal it’s time to coast.

But just like an athlete, there’s benefit to running through the finish. Who’s to say stopping now guarantees a win? Who’s to say it guarantees a loss? The only way to know for sure is to run all the way. Postpone the celebration or mourning until the final results are posted.

Here are a few tips for finishing the year strong:

  • Develop micro-goals. Take the ground you have yet to cover and break it into smaller, more manageable chunks. Need to sell 100 widgets between now and the end of the year? Turn that into a weekly or daily goal and put your energy into achieving that.
  • Focus on behaviors. Identify the specific actions you need to take in order to close the gap and work to execute those. Keep your mind on performing consistently and let the results speak for themselves.
  • Ramp up the motivation. It’s easy to stay energized an excited during the opening laps of a long race; but it’s down the stretch – when you’re tired and ready to give up – that motivation is critical. Give yourself and your team a needed boost of encouragement to keep the pace until the very end.

Last minute finishes are very exciting – as long as you cross the line first. Make sure to find yourself on the top of the podium by finishing strong. Run through the finish. If you need some help finding your second wind, don’t hesitate to call. I would love to help you celebrate a victory.

Celebrate!

Posted on by Scott

 

Happy Successful Business People Celebrating and Jumping in New York City

This week, I’m traveling to Bryan/College Station, TX. I’m joining bankers from the area for their mid-year Sales & Service Rally, a celebration of the individual and team accomplishments attained through the first half of the year. I’m anticipating a festive atmosphere as employees from a variety of roles come together to recognize each other.

Some see recognition events such as this as waste of time and resources. They view them as frivolous and unnecessary. They feel a pat on the back is quite enough to say “Thank you” and motivate future performance.

They couldn’t be more wrong.

While top performers are indeed driven by an internal pursuit of excellence as opposed to any external motivator, recognition events serve a much greater purpose. You see, they help unify and reinvigorate the team. In fact, I believe bringing the team together in this way provides three specific benefits to the organization.

  1. They reinforce the power of the team. Any opportunity to bring the team together is a good one. It gives everyone a chance to reconnect with each other and each other’s talents. Navigating the daily list of personal tasks can seem very lonely. It’s easy to fall into a routine, your own routine, and forget that your actually part of something larger. When the team comes together, it reminds us that our small part of the puzzle helps complete the big picture. Without everyone doing their part, and supporting the others as they do theirs, the picture can’t be completed.
  2. They reemphasize the goals of the team. Teams are assembled for a purpose – to accomplish a goal. But the finish line can seem very far away at times. Coming together to celebrate your team’s progress helps close the distance. Because day-to-day it’s hard to see the impact of your work. You have to stop periodically and look back to recognize just how far you’ve come. Seeing the progress that’s been made allows you to more clearly chart a path to the end.
  3. They recharge the battery of the team. Let’s face it. We all lose energy from time to time. We all get burned out. We all sometimes wonder why we’re working so hard. Just as a vacation is healthy for the individual, celebration and fun are vital to the health of the team. When you bring people together, feed and entertain them, and allow them to engage in some group fellowship, you can just see the energy levels rise. Shared experiences create memories. And shared memories build relationships. Nothing makes the team stronger than bringing the team together.

When leaders focus on the bottom line, it’s easy to forget that businesses are made up of people. We’re human and, as humans, were designed to be social creatures. We are at our best when we’re part of something bigger. Many organizations speak of their employees in terms of family. I don’t know about you, but my family always seems to function better when we work – and play – together.

What does your team have to celebrate this week?

Stop Motivating Your Team! (Do This Instead)

Posted on by Scott

stop

Over the years, I’ve been asked a lot of questions by managers in a variety of roles across numerous organizations. By far, the most frequently asked question is “How do I motivate my team?” Some are looking to increase sales performance. Others want to improve customer service or productivity. In many cases, managers seem frustrated by an overall lack of engagement exhibited by members of their staff. Energy levels are low, efficiency suffers, and goals go unmet.

So concerned managers wrack their brains trying to find a way to turn things around. They see a problem that needs fixing and go in search of a solution. ”If I can just get people motivated,” they think, “things will start moving in the right direction.”

And therein, I think, lies the problem. Motivation sounds like what we need to get the troops out of the doldrums. But it doesn’t. It can’t. To understand why motivation isn’t the answer, we first need to understand what motivation is. Let’s look at the root word “motivate.”

motivate: to provide with a motive or motives; incite; impel

Motivation is an external action designed to cause an internal reaction. It’s something one person does in order to elicit a response from someone else. Think about the typical actions many associate with motivation. Contests, incentives, awards, raises, and other types of recognition/reward strategies are used to spur a change in behavior. So are things like deadlines, threats, disciplinary actions, and other punitive measures. All can be, and have been, considered motivational strategies.

The inherent problem with these and other external actions traditionally used as motivation is that the behavior shift that results is, at best, temporary. The high from winning a contest or being recognized only lasts so long. The sting from negative feedback or an ultimatum loses intensity as time goes on. And as temporary emotions fade away, so do the changes in behavior associated with them.

As employee behavior slides back into mediocre territory, managers dip back into the box of potential motivators in an effort to stop the decline. The cycle of performance drop/motivation/performance improvement then begins again. Employees settle into a routine of reacting to the temporary external stimulus with a temporary burst of activity sufficient enough to win/satisfy the requirement/get management off my back and then easing up until the next stimulus comes along.

But if motivation isn’t the answer, then what is?

The key to long-term performance is not a short-lived behavior modification, but a long-term transformation of core beliefs. The answer is not externally driven, but internally. The answer is not motivation, but inspiration. Let’s check out another definition.

inspire: to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence.

Do you see the difference? Motivation focuses on the head while inspiration targets the heart. Inspiring someone causes an empty part of them to be filled and the result is change that influences how they approach the concept of work itself, not just a particular task. Motivation can be applied or withdrawn at any time with correspondingly immediate results. Inspiration, on the other hand, becomes part of you and drives how you fundamentally think about things. Inspiration creates a deep-rooted drive to behave differently. Motivation may spark a temporary shift in behavior, but inspiration ignites a long-term change in attitude.

Inspired people are inherently motivated. So, the real question then is “How do I inspire my team?“

Well, if you’ve been reading the past few weeks, you already know some of the basics. How does that old saying go? “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Once you’ve mastered the skill of developing relationships, people are instinctively drawn to you. And that’s important; because it’s only then – when they trust you and want to listen to you – that you can share your vision and ask them to participate in it. If done right, they’ll get on board; not as motivated worker-bees, but as inspired partners.

Inspiration isn’t a one-time action. It results from extended exposure to someone who sees people, not employees. It’s about fulfilling potential, not completing tasks. It’s about contributing to something bigger than myself as opposed to being a cog in the machine.

People don’t want to be motivated. But we all have a desperate, innate need to be inspired. Fulfill that need and see just how far the team will take you. Who will you inspire today?