“How Should I Motivate?”

How should you motivate others? With a cheerleader's rallying cry? Via fear, carrot-dangling, or forced cut-throat competition?

The surprise answer is, none of the above. People must motivate themselves. You, however, can create an environment where self-motivation is not only possible but probable. Your mission is to inspire others to do their best for their own reasons: personal satisfaction, monetary rewards, advanced responsibility—whatever drives them.

The key to creating this environment is simple business-management sense. Here are the seven rules of thumb to follow when you set out to inspire the people you work with:

Insure that your team members know what is expected of them in general and on the specifics of a project. Be clear when you give instructions or outline the results you expect.

Note that people need meaningful work. Nothing can kill a good employee's spirit faster than overload of useless duties. Variety and responsibility keep workers motivated and teams high in morale.

Stay quiet and listen to the opinions of others. Give them due respect and listen to every word. Don't think silently about why they're wrong or what you're going to say next.

Praise people for their efforts - even if they fall short of your expectations. Explain what should be done better next time.

Include everything that is appropriate in the decision process. Ask others for their advice and opinions. Give credit where it’s due.

Respect your co-workers. Consider everyone's job - and everyone's feelings—as important as your own.

Encourage others to do their best and to reach for their personal goals.

Remember, people do things for their own reasons, not yours. Get to know them. Your best bet is to set the pace with a good attitude towards your career and the people that work with you. The payoff is an inspired team that works harder for their own reasons to attain their goals—and, ultimately, yours.

from PS for Business Communicators^®, ECG.

Task 7

Translate into English.

Объединяющий призыв лидера; с помощью запугивания, приманивания пряником или беспощадной конкуренцией; вдохновлять других; делать все что в твоих силах для чего-то; побуждать, стимулировать кого-либо; практический способ, метод; перегружать бесполезными обязанностями; разнообразие; ответственность; хвалить кого-либо за усилия; не оправдать чьих-либо ожиданий; отдавать должное; быть должным; уважать своих сотрудников; поддерживать кого-то; вознаграждение, выплата; достигать целей; в конце концов.

Task 8

Answer the questions.

1. Should discipline and order be the main components of motivation?

2. Why must people motivate themselves?

3. What drives people’s motivation?

4. Is the role of inspiration an integral part of motivation? Why?

5. Employees’ responsibility increases their motivation, doesn’t it?

6. Giving credit to people you work with is a way to create relationship based on trust, isn’t it?

Task 9

Find the appropriate words to the following definitions in the text “How Should I Motivate?”

1. to provide someone with a strong reason for doing something;

2. the physical and social conditions in which people live, work, especially how they influence their feelings and development;

3. a return for doing something good or valuable;

4. to encourage the desire and ability to take effective action, by filling people with eagerness, confidence, etc.;

5. the struggle between several people or groups to win something of gaining an advantage;

6. a piece of work that needs skill, effort, and careful planning over a period of time;

7. advice on how to do something;

8. something that one does either because it is part of one’s job or because it is morally or legally right that one should do it;

9. a group of people who work, act or play together;

10. a fellow-worker;

11. one’s aim or purpose; a position or object one wishes to reach or obtain;

12. regular paid employment; a piece of work;

Task 10

Retell the text “How Should I Motivate?”