12 Unique Ways Leaders Can Motivate Others

A great leader is someone who inspires others to perform better in pursuit of their own greatness. No matter their profession, great leaders leverage specific characteristics to encourage others to carry out their goals. Through this level of inspiration, they can turn even regular, ordinary people into extraordinary individuals.

The modern business world certainly has its share of leaders that can motivate and encourage their followers to do incredible things. Below, 12 experts from Young Entrepreneur Council share their more unique approaches and strategies to motivating and inspiring others to become the best versions of themselves:

Q: Great leaders are those who can inspire and motivate those around them. What’s one highly unique technique you use to motivate those around you, and why?

Here’s what they recommend.

1. Ask Them to Share Their Vision

I ask them to imagine and then share their vision for their life and career three years from now — what they’ve achieved, how they are living, and what they feel like. I then see them, believe in them, and treat them as that highest and best version of themselves. When they falter, I reconnect them with that vision, asking what support they need to step back onto that path. – Rebecca Cafiero, Rebecca Cafiero International

2. Show Them Gratitude

I motivate my team by showing them gratitude. I might write random “thank you” notes or plan events such as team lunches, happy hours, or game nights. I might even tell them to take a Friday afternoon off to enjoy family or good weather. Bonuses are also a great motivator, but that shouldn’t be the only way to motivate your team. There are so many other things to also try when it comes to motivation. – John Hall, Calendar

3. Recognize the Best Performers

As an organization, we decided to change our quarterly PR event into a monthly event. In this PR event, we recognize the best performers in different categories. We found out while doing the quarterly event that people’s motivation dropped mid-quarter due to repetition. The monthly event thus served as a constant reminder that their efforts were appreciated, which also served as a powerful motivator. – Asim Rais Siddiqui, Tekrevol

4. Document Your Journey

Motivating and inspiring others isn’t easy. However, if you’re a thought leader who actually executes what you say you were going to do, motivating others will come naturally. One technique I use to motivate others is documenting my journey. I say what I’m going to do, and then I document the process and then also the results. Whether it fails or succeeds, I still end up motivating many. – Fritz Colcol, ABN Circle

5. Give Multiple Reasons for an Action

You can motivate others by giving them multiple reasons for doing what you want them to do. For example, if you want to motivate an employee, you can probably offer them a reward for completing a task on time. This will inspire them to work harder and complete the task on time without delay. – Josh Kohlbach, Wholesale Suite

6. Hold Creative Brainstorming Meetings

I like to hold creative brainstorming meetings to help my employees get motivated and inspired. I find this helps them come up with new product ideas or marketing campaign ideas. I try to hold these at least once a month. – Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC

7. Roll Up Your Sleeves

Do the grunt work. Even if it’s just occasionally, it can really make a difference to “roll up your sleeves” and rotate around a bit. It gives you the chance to act as a mentor, gain perspective, and humanize yourself. Don’t be afraid to admit gaps in your knowledge (which is often hard for people in a superior role). – Joey Bertschler, uniworld.io

8. Be Kind to Them

If you really want to motivate others, be kind to them. As a leader, it’s your duty to treat people who are helping you with the utmost respect and kindness. Make sure you praise them for their work when needed. Doing that can act as a motivation booster and can encourage people to continue doing their best work. – Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster

9. Bring Logic and Facts to What You Say

I always try to bring logic and facts to what I’m saying. The best way to inspire people is to encourage them to tell the truth and do the right thing. I believe that explaining my point of view — with data to back up what I’m saying — inspires others to think critically about their choices or ways of thinking. – Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights

10. Share Customer Reviews

For my team, I pull out our customers’ reviews and allow them to read the reviews on their own. This boosts their morale and confidence, knowing that their role is vital. It is just natural for me to want to build other people’s confidence and motivate them to be happy because I know what it feels like to be lonely, trying to find my motivation in life. – Daisy Jing, Banish

11. Send Out Motivational Emails

I think that sharing personal insights in the form of a company-wide email is very helpful. Communicating with your team should be about more than work-related information. Your personal insights as a leader matter too. In this climate where businesses are struggling, it matters more than ever. So, send out motivational emails as a way to help your team during trying times. – Blair Williams, MemberPress

12. Approach Things Positively

I always try to approach things from a positive point of view. Social interactions these days don’t have the positivity that they used to. When we have video meetings every week, I always bring a smile and have positive news to tell. Hopefully, this decision encourages my team to stay positive and optimistic for the day ahead. – John Turner, SeedProd LLC

 

 

These answers are provided by Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC), an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most successful young entrepreneurs. YEC members represent nearly every industry, generate billions of dollars in revenue each year, and have created tens of thousands of jobs. Learn more at yec.co.