Think Like A Leader – 6 Ways To Motivate Your Team

One of the most important prerequisites for a successful franchise is a set of workers who have a positive frame of mind and a strong work ethic. Your employees must have the interest of your business at heart and they should be willing to walk that extra mile to ensure that your customers’ needs are satisfied.

How will you get your workers to develop these attributes? While it is crucial to have a stringent screening process for new employees, you must also learn how to motivate them so that they perform their roles effectively.

Here are several ways by which you can boost morale within your organization. If you are able to implement some of these techniques, it is likely that productivity will rise and your business will achieve greater sales and profits.

1. Don’t try and fit a square peg in a round hole

You may recruit an individual for a certain role but after a few months you may notice that the person’s skills are suited to a different job. This happens more often than you would think.

Smart entrepreneurs are quick to take advantage of these recruitment “mistakes.” Instead of trying to persuade the worker to do a better job, they simply reallocate work. In many instances, this benefits the employee as well as the organization.

In fact, there is a variation of this technique that you can use to give your business a boost. An employee may be performing perfectly well in the role that has been assigned. But you may think that this person could be more useful to your business doing some other work.

Shifting workers from one job to another is a good way of increasing productivity and allowing them to develop different skills.

2. Work on your communication skills

 When workers come to you with their problems, you must give them a patient hearing. Many business owners tell their workers “don’t come to me with problems, come with solutions,” but this is not a good approach.

Don’t discourage employees from raising issues that they cannot solve. If you do this, it is quite likely that you will come to know about a problem when it reaches an advanced stage.

If you maintain an open door policy, you will encourage employees to discuss what is bothering them. Over a period of time, this will lead to better customer service and more business for your franchise.

3. Learn to delegate efficiently

It is quite natural to want every aspect of your franchise to work perfectly. But this does not mean that you should carry out each task yourself or constantly look over the shoulder of the employee who you have delegated the work to.

You have to learn to let go and trust others. At the same time, it is essential to provide clear instructions and guidelines. Set up a mechanism that allows you to get regular feedback about how the work is progressing. If you do this, it will be possible to spot errors at an early stage and take corrective action.

Remember that delegation doesn’t mean passing on the entire responsibility for a task. You must provide the necessary guidance to the employee. It is also important to ensure that the person who is carrying out the task has the necessary skills and expertise.

4. Lead by example

As the head of the franchise, you are the role model for your employees. Everything that you say and every action that you take will create an impression on your workers’ minds. If you speak harshly to them, they may resent it and take out their frustration on the customers who visit your franchise.

One way that you can build morale and show that you care is to ensure that your employees are not overworked. A work life balance is important for your employees as well as for you.

If the situation warrants, you must be willing to work alongside your employees. This will help you to earn their respect and encourage them to put in their best.

5. Show that you are serious about results

If your franchise is to do well, you must closely monitor employee productivity and hold workers responsible for their individual goals. Don’t play favorites, because if you do, you will build a culture where keeping the boss happy is more important than achieving results.

Establish a system that measures end results. Each worker should have a clear job description and the actual achievement should be compared with the target that has been set. Every individual’s progress should be tracked and the necessary support and training provided to help that person achieve the stipulated goals.

If you follow this practice, you will instill a culture that encourages employees to work towards the goals that you have set for the franchise.

6. Create a positive work atmosphere

 Customers prefer an environment that is upbeat and cheerful. If the atmosphere in your franchise is gloomy and depressed, your clients will leave if they have a better option.

Get to know your employees as individuals. Even a little time spent on inquiring about their families and their personal welfare will help you to establish a better relationship.

Treat your employees with respect and they will pay you back with hard work and dedication. But if you have a dictatorial management style and you are constantly berating your employees, they will leave at the first opportunity.

A little praise goes a long way

One of the most effective ways to provide encouragement is to express your approval when a job is done well. Genuine praise is a strong motivator and it serves a dual purpose.

One, it makes the employee feel appreciated and is a great morale booster. Secondly, your workers understand that you are keeping track of their their activities and that you know how each individual is performing.

Photo by  Štefan Štefančík on  Unsplash