Page 32 - How to Motivate Every Employee

their own performance expectations and, when allowed to do so, will
set the bar higher than you might have anticipated.
Document what you and your employees agree on: Develop a writ-
ten list of performance standards for meeting and exceeding the
expectations you’ve agreed upon with your employees. Remember,
you want your employees to continue to stretch, yet you want to be
certain they can attain their goals. This is key in staying highly moti-
vated. Next, be specific about what it’s going to take to actually reach
those goals, in each area or each job function. Document and then
give a copy of those expectations to every employee. At your next
employee performance review or upon completion of a project, this
document will serve as the basis for you and the employee to discuss
and measure what was accomplished. Remember, what gets meas-
ured is what he or she will be most motivated to do.
Plan a course of action, then get moving: Once the standards are
set, review the specific tasks of each person’s job. Identify and discuss
the areas in which each person is skilled and qualified. Plan a course
of action and delegate based on each employee’s experience and
level of competence. Next, let each employee know that once he or
she has started the project and gained greater insight into the intri-
cacies of the job, you will be willing at that point to revise the expec-
tations accordingly. Be sure to keep the goals challenging, yet realis-
tic. Now get moving, but take time to observe and follow up. Don’t
wait until the end of a project to check in with your employees.
Following up is an important way you give your employees the feed-
back they need concerning their performance as it’s happening. It’s
also a great way to demonstrate that your job as manager is to help
each employee succeed—reinforcing their motivation to perform.

“Every manager knows how to count, but smart managers
know what counts.”
—Anonymous

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