In an era of smartphones and social media, the workplace can become very isolating for team members. We can immerse ourselves on social media on our phones or desktops at work. This can be isolating for individuals and it will lead to less productive teams. The goal of Motivational Conversation is to create conversations which lead to higher performing teams and higher profits. The process is easy, but you must be genuine in your intent. The process is not a gimmick nor is it manipulative, but it is the path to success with your teams…..and your organization.
Please understand that your people want to feel that they are a needed part of the team. They want to be validated. They want to receive praise for their actions. This validation can take place daily with the conversations that you have with your people. It is an ongoing process which puts you at the center of your team as a person who cares, but also one who connects with their people. This is simply built on the conversations that occur daily. You have a clear goal…….to build a better team.
The conversations are an essential part of relationship building. Make it a daily practice to talk to your team members. Get to know them and be aware of what is important to them both professionally and personally. This is the glue of your relationship with them. Spend time with them to genuinely show that you care about them.
Motivational Conversation builds upon these conversations when you want to move your people down an intended path which benefits the team, an individual, and the organization. Your intent must be for the greater good. The process is as follows:
Build a genuine relationship with your people through conversations. Be a relational manager where you talk to them daily instead of a positional manager where you clearly let your people know that you are above them.
Use an “Ask versus Tell” approach when initiating changes or creating new goals. The asking is not from a position of weakness, rather it is a well-developed question which gets your people to evaluate and discuss the proposed change. Remember that you are walking them down a path toward your well-intended goal.
Once you have decided a course of action, create a series of questions which will get them to think about the change you are proposing. The questions should get them to voice the change you want them to embrace. If you get them to speak about the change you are proposing, they will be more likely to embrace it. This process is significantly more successful than simply telling them what the goals are. Motivational Conversation leads to buy in from the team.
Continue to have ongoing conversations with your people. It is good for your team and it is good for you. Become a Motivational Conversation practitioner.
I have learned the hard way that “telling” people about change can lead to resentment, decreased team productivity, and cynicism. But I’ve had great success in “asking” questions and developing conversations about inevitable change. The process of Motivational Conversation has proved to be beneficial over the years. It is a process that you can master and use effectively.
Al Cobos
Al Cobos is the owner and lead consultant for Dychelon which improves team performance and promotes successful team building. Al has successfully built teams over the past two decades. He has over thirty years of public sector experience in addition to teaching for several universities. His focus is to improve people in their personal and professional lives.
