It is not enough to tell people what you expect of them. Objectives can be extremely motivating, but only if people consider them to be “worth the effort”. How to turn objectives into a key driver of employee engagement?
Explain the importance of objectives
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Show how individual objectives fit into the global strategy and contribute to collective performance.
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Underline the benefits that people can derive from improving their performance.
Get people involved
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Engage in dialogue to build a shared understanding of objectives.
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Encourage people to participate in choosing how to implement their objectives.
Define realistic and concrete objectives
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Strike the right balance between motivating people with a good challenge and discouraging them with too many hurdles.
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Set concrete and measurable objectives, e.g. Set intermediary objectives for large-scale projects.
Take action
Identify your team members’ main sources of motivation (20 min)
Motivation sources vary greatly depending on people’s personality
Ask yourself: in which context did you observe an upsurge in motivation in each of your team members? Is it rather when there is a challenge to face, while they are networking, or during stimulating meetings? Is it when they feel useful or have an opportunity to learn, or rather during a competition or when they receive recognition?
Note for each of them the 2 or 3 main apparent levers of motivation. You will then be able check with them whether your feeling is accurate.
Look back at an objective you set: is it SMART? (10 min)
The SMART acronym helps validate if objectives are formulated in a manner that encourages action.
Specific: Does your staff member know exactly what’s expected from him and how you will judge his performance?
Measurable: Is this objective concrete and quantifiable, or at least defined in terms of “deliverables”?
Ambitious: Will reaching this objective become an object of pride?
Realistic: Can this objective be achieved with the resources your staff member has?
Time specific: Is your staff member aware of when this objective is due?
Organize a meeting to discuss with one of your team members about one of his/her objectives (1h)
A skillfully led questioning helps people mobilize their resources and find the courses of action by themselves.
In a face-to-face meeting with your team members, ask them how they think they can improve their performance: what tools, processes, methodologies, training, interfaces could help them in their daily life?
Strive to limit your own suggestions. You should rather encourage them to build on their initial ideas to further analyze them or to extrapolate. E.g.: You said you would need more time: how much time can you spare?
At the end of the meeting, invite them to select three ideas that are the easiest to implement and would bring rapid, even if modest results. Fix the next appointment to review progress.
Practical Tips
> Break down the strategic vision into individual objectives
> Formulate objectives that effectively spur people into action
Find out more
> Capitalize on the motivational power of questions
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