Put wind in their sails.

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One of the most vital responsibilities of leadership is to motivate and inspire others. We call it “putting wind in their sails” -- enabling your people to move forward faster, with energy and enthusiasm.

You are only as good as the work of your team, so think about how to motivate your people to stretch and reach their full potential while going the extra mile for you and the organization. Empower your people to truly own their jobs. Practice effective delegation, managing to milestones, not details. Stay out of the weeds! Remember the 4:1 ratio of feedback: it takes 4 positive comments to offset a single critical one. ‎And bear in mind that public recognition, a personal note of thanks, or advocacy higher up the chain can be more motivating to an employee than a simple financial reward. Everyone has their hot buttons: things that frustrate them and things that delight them. Make it a point to understand these things in your team members, and it will be easier to keep them motivated.

Today, ask yourself, “what more can I do to put wind in their sails?”

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Find Your Story

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Human beings relate to stories.  That’s a fact, and it dates back to the days of cavemen.  Before we had any formal means to communicate, stories were used to teach, pass down family heritage and motivate others to act.  Even ancient hieroglyphics told stories!

In business and in life, storytelling is a powerful tool to connect with people.  We each have our own unique life experience, our own unique stories. The key is to mine them, practice them, and use them to convey important messages, deepen relationships and hold an audience.  There’s nothing like a good story to break up the monotony of a traditional presentation that’s loaded with data.  It brings your interaction to a deeper human level, where others view as a real person, not just a presenter, an executive or whatever label they’ve given you.

We can also tell the stories of others.  The news is a great source of interesting stories of heroism, overcoming challenges, teamwork and other themes that can inspire and engage others.

So what’s your story?  Today, think about the experiences you’ve had that can become part of your communication arsenal!

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