Don’t you want to motivate others? Certainly, you will say, “Yes I want.”
Do you know how to motivate?
How to make a motivating atmosphere? Do you know it?
If you read this post, then you will find the answers.
In order to find out how to motivate others, I called all assistant cum technicians (ACT) of Forge and Structural Shop in my office.
Creating a motivating atmosphere
First I gave a piece of paper to each of them to write their good points. They wrote down those points on it and handed it over to me. I discussed those points one by one. I knew them for a long time, so I knew everything about them. As a result, I could point out some of the good points they missed writing.
Then I asked them one by one, “What job are you doing? Why are you doing? How is it meaningful to you?” They tried to answer. Some of them answered, “I do gas cutting to complete my allotted jobs.” Some of them said, “I do welding to complete my allotted job” and so on.
I let them speak out. I just listened to them with empathy.
Then I said, “You not only do gas-cutting or welding jobs so on but also do more than that. You do it for yourself as well as for the company. If you love and enjoy your job, then you help yourself to develop your skill. The seniors will respect your skill so on. In the process when you make a spare for our new plant, you only help IISCO steel plant to grow.”
I not only helped them to relate their job to their skill development, respect for seniors, internal customers and contributions to ISP, but also I encouraged them to take part in a discussion on different issues related to technical, non-technical, their hobbies and even their personal matters. They all freely discussed.
After a few days during my visit to the shop floor, suddenly I entered their restroom and found dirt and tree leaves scattered in the restroom.
Helping to motivate for setting the goal
Our conversation followed.
I: “Do you agree that you work hard”? Do you agree that you must take complete rest after hard work?”
ACT: Yes sir.
I: “Can you take complete rest in this dirty restroom?”They all remained silent.
I: “Is your bedroom dirty like this restroom”?
ACT: No sir. We will clean it daily.
I: Thank you so much. I shall visit it next week.
They requested me to change the damaged roof sheets of the restroom and fix a water tap there. So I talked to the concerned agencies for doing the jobs. Within a week, they completed all the jobs.
As per the plan, next week I visited the restroom, observed it more closely and thanked them at once. But I spontaneously pointed out some leftover food grains in one corner. They told that some seniors took food and left it there. In the meantime, some senior fellow workmen voluntarily came and clean the food grains. The ACTs along with the senior workmen assured me to keep it clean. The restroom is now clean entirely.
Analysis: Finding steps to Motivate others.
The advice to ACTs to write their good points made the right environment for interaction. So they opened up and found out that they had so many good points. Their Head of Department also appreciated those excellent points.
They not only found inspiration but also found their jobs meaningful and purposeful. I helped them to decide on their goal of housekeeping. In other words, I involved them in the goal-setting process.
Their inspiration level improved when they found the replacement of roof sheets and arrangement of a water tap. Finally, they cleaned the restroom.
When the seniors found the restroom more cleanly, they also joined hands with them to clean the floor. Here the ACTs were leading the show in housekeeping. The seniors were following them. I found out the steps to motivate others. I thanked them all.
Steps to motivate others:
- Create an environment for productive interaction.
- Listen to the group members with empathy.
- Help each member to find more meaning and purpose in his jobs
- Involve the group in-goal setting
- Support the group in achieving the goal.
- Appreciate the group promptly.
- Motivate others to succeed.
- Live a fabulous life.
People who have difficulty in motivating others are less likely to succeed in life.