Leadership Tips to Motivate Your Team to do the HARD Work
The reality is that nothing great has ever been achieved without hard work. The old Puritan work ethic states, “In life, you work hard and then you die. Period.*” (*I took the liberty of paraphrasing there.) It’s true for leadership, it’s true for teamwork, it’s true for achieving career success.
I also heard this quote the other day and it resonated with me: “We all pray for a harvest (success), but we forget that when harvest time comes, it’s a lot of work.” It reminds me of how my grandmother, (“Mimi”), used to tell us, “Mais cher, be careful what you pray for, because you just might get it!”
Today it seems that the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. Leaders want a quick fix – business success via microwave. Think about the popularity of books such as “The 4-Hour Workweek,” and then others that promote the idea that if we just hold a vision in our minds of success, we’ll attract it while sitting on our butts and sipping a strawberry daiquiri. Although I believe in the Law of Attraction, I also believe in the law of Hard Work and Dedication,* (*Not a real law. I just made that up.)
While watching a television interview with Mike Rowe, host of TV’s “Dirty Jobs,” he said that during “The Great Recession” in 2008-2009, when they were filming “Dirty Jobs” at businesses across the country, each one of those organizations had “help wanted” signs in the window. The economy was in the tank, people were out of work, and yet nobody wanted to work in those jobs. Yikes.
It can be challenging as a leader when you’ve got employees entering the workplace who have grown up in a world where everybody gets a trophy, where, (God forbid) we can’t keep score, and kids get recognition just for participating. Don’t forget the ones who are addicted to comfort or feel entitled. (Sorry to be such a Negative Nelly.)
So as an executive, a boss, a team leader, an executive leader, how can you get team members engaged and committed and willing to roll up their sleeves and do the HARD work?
Keep in mind, work doesn’t have to be synonymous with drudgery, nor should it be considered a four-letter word. Here are a number of
Leadership tips to set up yourself, your team, and your organization for success:
Plan, strategize, and prepare. Effective leaders never lose sight of the vision for the organization and are able to see what is coming down the pike. Prepare for the harvest time to be busy, but also plan to conduct maintenance on your equipment and invest in developing your team members during the not-so-busy times. Having the view from the top of the hill is your responsibility. That’s why they pay you the medium-sized bucks.
Identify Strengths. We’ve all got ’em. Just like we’ve all got weaknesses. Taking the time and effort to identify those areas where you have a talent or a strength is well worth the investment. First, develop your talents into strengths, then encourage and enable your team members to do the same. Next, put those strengths to work for your organization. In making such an investment, you will find that employees blossom, become more engaged in their work, and contribute their best. (Call me about the work that we do with leaders and teams using the StrengthsFinder® assessments.)
Create a culture of teamwork. As soon as your team members are working in their areas of strength, you need to ensure that you’re all rowing in the same direction. Successful teams are a product of a shared vision, a strong foundation of trust, and transparent communication. And NEWSFLASH: creating such a culture begins with you, the leader.
Take a Time Out. We all have a tendency to spend lots of time working IN our business. Carve out time where your team can come together to work ON your business. Focus on creating alignment, building collaboration, and nurturing relationships. (Call me to work with your team using The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team™ instrument.)
Lead the way. Effective leaders set the example. Their dedication and hard work inspire their team members to give the best they’ve got to give. Lead the way by walking your talk, keeping your word, and never expecting someone to do something that you wouldn’t do. It’s as simple as that.
As you can see, although ‘work’ really is a four-letter word, it should not be considered profane, tedious, nor is it to be dreaded – if you, the leader, set yourself and your team up for success.
CHIME IN:
- What leadership tips would you add to the list to get your team to roll up their sleeves and do the tough stuff?
- What employee motivation strategies have worked for you in the past?
- Please leave a comment on our blog below and share your insights with our community.
To receive solutions to your people problems in your inbox every month, and to receive our report: “7 of Your Biggest People Problems…Solved,” click here.
You might also like:
Leadership Team Accelerated Results Program
12 Powerful Questions to Stash in Your Leadership Toolbox
Leadership Lessons to Push Past Homeostasis
Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication. In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.
Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
You’re thinking about taking up macramé just to get through your unbearably boring team meetings. CAUTION: This is a symptom of group-think and leads to disaster.
Trying to determine who’s responsible for an action item is like an Abbott and Costello routine. WARNING: This proves there is no accountability amongst team members.
When someone asks how your team is doing, your response is always “Fine.” NEWSFLASH: Fine is the new Sucks. Fine won’t take your business to the next level.
If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
I solve people problems for organizations like yours every day.
I’ll help you to cut through the BS, also known as silos, politics, and competition between team members, so you can achieve greater results in less time.
I work with leaders individually, I work with teams as a whole, I work with the leaders and teams together. No consultant speak. No fluffy exercises. Just practical strategies…with some Cajun spice. Born and raised along the bayous of South Louisiana, I’ve found that a little Cajun wisdom brings new seasoning to time-tested success principles. We call this “lagniappe” or something a little extra that makes all the difference.
My programs focus on mastering communication, inspiring real teamwork, and amping individual influence to impact the bottom line.
If you want an engaging keynote speaker, a skilled facilitator, a lively workshop leader, or an experienced leadership mentor, contact me for a complimentary 20-minute call and we’ll identify your greatest needs and how we can best solve your people problems.
My basic principles are captured in my book Lead, Follow or Get Me the Hot Sauce and have inspired me as a speaker at conferences and events. Today I am one of only four Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in the state of Louisiana as recognized by the National Speakers Association. I’m also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, a Certified Structured Facilitation Professional, and a certified Master Trainer, and I guess that pretty much means that I’m certifiable too!
After overseeing hundreds of employees as a Human Resources Director, as well as a consultant who has worked with sales, service, and operations teams in the oil and gas, manufacturing, financial, and professional services industries, (to name a few) I am convinced that every organization’s sustainability and profitability hinges on leadership and team success.
And finally, I’m passionate about crawfish, chocolate, wine, and Gumbeaux - my golden retriever puppy.
|Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
You’re thinking about taking up macramé just to get through your unbearably boring team meetings. CAUTION: This is a symptom of group-think and leads to disaster.
Trying to determine who’s responsible for an action item is like an Abbott and Costello routine. WARNING: This proves there is no accountability amongst team members.
When someone asks how your team is doing, your response is always “Fine.” NEWSFLASH: Fine is the new Sucks. Fine won’t take your business to the next level.
If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
I solve people problems for organizations like yours every day.
I’ll help you to cut through the BS, also known as silos, politics, and competition between team members, so you can achieve greater results in less time.
I work with leaders individually, I work with teams as a whole, I work with the leaders and teams together. No consultant speak. No fluffy exercises. Just practical strategies…with some Cajun spice. Born and raised along the bayous of South Louisiana, I’ve found that a little Cajun wisdom brings new seasoning to time-tested success principles. We call this “lagniappe” or something a little extra that makes all the difference.
My programs focus on mastering communication, inspiring real teamwork, and amping individual influence to impact the bottom line.
If you want an engaging keynote speaker, a skilled facilitator, a lively workshop leader, or an experienced leadership mentor, contact me for a complimentary 20-minute call and we’ll identify your greatest needs and how we can best solve your people problems.
My basic principles are captured in my book Lead, Follow or Get Me the Hot Sauce and have inspired me as a speaker at conferences and events. Today I am one of only four Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in the state of Louisiana as recognized by the National Speakers Association. I’m also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, a Certified Structured Facilitation Professional, and a certified Master Trainer, and I guess that pretty much means that I’m certifiable too!
After overseeing hundreds of employees as a Human Resources Director, as well as a consultant who has worked with sales, service, and operations teams in the oil and gas, manufacturing, financial, and professional services industries, (to name a few) I am convinced that every organization’s sustainability and profitability hinges on leadership and team success.
And finally, I’m passionate about crawfish, chocolate, wine, and Gumbeaux - my golden retriever puppy.
|Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
You’re thinking about taking up macramé just to get through your unbearably boring team meetings. CAUTION: This is a symptom of group-think and leads to disaster.
Trying to determine who’s responsible for an action item is like an Abbott and Costello routine. WARNING: This proves there is no accountability amongst team members.
When someone asks how your team is doing, your response is always “Fine.” NEWSFLASH: Fine is the new Sucks. Fine won’t take your business to the next level.
If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
I solve people problems for organizations like yours every day.
I’ll help you to cut through the BS, also known as silos, politics, and competition between team members, so you can achieve greater results in less time.
I work with leaders individually, I work with teams as a whole, I work with the leaders and teams together. No consultant speak. No fluffy exercises. Just practical strategies…with some Cajun spice. Born and raised along the bayous of South Louisiana, I’ve found that a little Cajun wisdom brings new seasoning to time-tested success principles. We call this “lagniappe” or something a little extra that makes all the difference.
My programs focus on mastering communication, inspiring real teamwork, and amping individual influence to impact the bottom line.
If you want an engaging keynote speaker, a skilled facilitator, a lively workshop leader, or an experienced leadership mentor, contact me for a complimentary 20-minute call and we’ll identify your greatest needs and how we can best solve your people problems.
My basic principles are captured in my book Lead, Follow or Get Me the Hot Sauce and have inspired me as a speaker at conferences and events. Today I am one of only four Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in the state of Louisiana as recognized by the National Speakers Association. I’m also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, a Certified Structured Facilitation Professional, and a certified Master Trainer, and I guess that pretty much means that I’m certifiable too!
After overseeing hundreds of employees as a Human Resources Director, as well as a consultant who has worked with sales, service, and operations teams in the oil and gas, manufacturing, financial, and professional services industries, (to name a few) I am convinced that every organization’s sustainability and profitability hinges on leadership and team success.
And finally, I’m passionate about crawfish, chocolate, wine, and Gumbeaux - my golden retriever puppy.
You’re thinking about taking up macramé just to get through your unbearably boring team meetings. CAUTION: This is a symptom of group-think and leads to disaster.
Trying to determine who’s responsible for an action item is like an Abbott and Costello routine. WARNING: This proves there is no accountability amongst team members.
When someone asks how your team is doing, your response is always “Fine.” NEWSFLASH: Fine is the new Sucks. Fine won’t take your business to the next level.
If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
I solve people problems for organizations like yours every day.
I’ll help you to cut through the BS, also known as silos, politics, and competition between team members, so you can achieve greater results in less time.
I work with leaders individually, I work with teams as a whole, I work with the leaders and teams together. No consultant speak. No fluffy exercises. Just practical strategies…with some Cajun spice. Born and raised along the bayous of South Louisiana, I’ve found that a little Cajun wisdom brings new seasoning to time-tested success principles. We call this “lagniappe” or something a little extra that makes all the difference.
My programs focus on mastering communication, inspiring real teamwork, and amping individual influence to impact the bottom line.
If you want an engaging keynote speaker, a skilled facilitator, a lively workshop leader, or an experienced leadership mentor, contact me for a complimentary 20-minute call and we’ll identify your greatest needs and how we can best solve your people problems.
My basic principles are captured in my book Lead, Follow or Get Me the Hot Sauce and have inspired me as a speaker at conferences and events. Today I am one of only four Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in the state of Louisiana as recognized by the National Speakers Association. I’m also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, a Certified Structured Facilitation Professional, and a certified Master Trainer, and I guess that pretty much means that I’m certifiable too!
After overseeing hundreds of employees as a Human Resources Director, as well as a consultant who has worked with sales, service, and operations teams in the oil and gas, manufacturing, financial, and professional services industries, (to name a few) I am convinced that every organization’s sustainability and profitability hinges on leadership and team success.
And finally, I’m passionate about crawfish, chocolate, wine, and Gumbeaux - my golden retriever puppy.
|Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
You’re thinking about taking up macramé just to get through your unbearably boring team meetings. CAUTION: This is a symptom of group-think and leads to disaster.
Trying to determine who’s responsible for an action item is like an Abbott and Costello routine. WARNING: This proves there is no accountability amongst team members.
When someone asks how your team is doing, your response is always “Fine.” NEWSFLASH: Fine is the new Sucks. Fine won’t take your business to the next level.
If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
I solve people problems for organizations like yours every day.
I’ll help you to cut through the BS, also known as silos, politics, and competition between team members, so you can achieve greater results in less time.
I work with leaders individually, I work with teams as a whole, I work with the leaders and teams together. No consultant speak. No fluffy exercises. Just practical strategies…with some Cajun spice. Born and raised along the bayous of South Louisiana, I’ve found that a little Cajun wisdom brings new seasoning to time-tested success principles. We call this “lagniappe” or something a little extra that makes all the difference.
My programs focus on mastering communication, inspiring real teamwork, and amping individual influence to impact the bottom line.
If you want an engaging keynote speaker, a skilled facilitator, a lively workshop leader, or an experienced leadership mentor, contact me for a complimentary 20-minute call and we’ll identify your greatest needs and how we can best solve your people problems.
My basic principles are captured in my book Lead, Follow or Get Me the Hot Sauce and have inspired me as a speaker at conferences and events. Today I am one of only four Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in the state of Louisiana as recognized by the National Speakers Association. I’m also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, a Certified Structured Facilitation Professional, and a certified Master Trainer, and I guess that pretty much means that I’m certifiable too!
After overseeing hundreds of employees as a Human Resources Director, as well as a consultant who has worked with sales, service, and operations teams in the oil and gas, manufacturing, financial, and professional services industries, (to name a few) I am convinced that every organization’s sustainability and profitability hinges on leadership and team success.
And finally, I’m passionate about crawfish, chocolate, wine, and Gumbeaux - my golden retriever puppy.
|Do any of these scenarios sound familiar?
You’re thinking about taking up macramé just to get through your unbearably boring team meetings. CAUTION: This is a symptom of group-think and leads to disaster.
Trying to determine who’s responsible for an action item is like an Abbott and Costello routine. WARNING: This proves there is no accountability amongst team members.
When someone asks how your team is doing, your response is always “Fine.” NEWSFLASH: Fine is the new Sucks. Fine won’t take your business to the next level.
If so, then you’ve come to the right place.
I solve people problems for organizations like yours every day.
I’ll help you to cut through the BS, also known as silos, politics, and competition between team members, so you can achieve greater results in less time.
I work with leaders individually, I work with teams as a whole, I work with the leaders and teams together. No consultant speak. No fluffy exercises. Just practical strategies…with some Cajun spice. Born and raised along the bayous of South Louisiana, I’ve found that a little Cajun wisdom brings new seasoning to time-tested success principles. We call this “lagniappe” or something a little extra that makes all the difference.
My programs focus on mastering communication, inspiring real teamwork, and amping individual influence to impact the bottom line.
If you want an engaging keynote speaker, a skilled facilitator, a lively workshop leader, or an experienced leadership mentor, contact me for a complimentary 20-minute call and we’ll identify your greatest needs and how we can best solve your people problems.
My basic principles are captured in my book Lead, Follow or Get Me the Hot Sauce and have inspired me as a speaker at conferences and events. Today I am one of only four Certified Speaking Professionals (CSP) in the state of Louisiana as recognized by the National Speakers Association. I’m also a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources, a Certified Structured Facilitation Professional, and a certified Master Trainer, and I guess that pretty much means that I’m certifiable too!
After overseeing hundreds of employees as a Human Resources Director, as well as a consultant who has worked with sales, service, and operations teams in the oil and gas, manufacturing, financial, and professional services industries, (to name a few) I am convinced that every organization’s sustainability and profitability hinges on leadership and team success.
And finally, I’m passionate about crawfish, chocolate, wine, and Gumbeaux - my golden retriever puppy.
Latest posts by Jennifer Ledet (see all)
- 8 Tips to Clear Out the Leadership Clutter Before 2019 - December 10, 2018
- The Step Executive Leaders CAN’T Skip Before the New Year - December 3, 2018
- Executive Leaders: Give a Different Kind of Gift this Holiday - November 27, 2018
More Articles by Author
