How to Motivate Your Team
With 2017 underway and 2016 in the rearview mirror, people find themselves looking to the future and setting goals both personally and professionally. In honor of this time-honored tradition, I sat down with Covideo’s fearless leader, Jason Price, and discussed his primary goal: how to motivate the team through the hills and valleys of the year ahead.
Covideo: So tell us, what’re you hoping to zero in on for 2017?
Jason: My top priority is the staff.
Covideo: A lot of leaders set monetary or growth goals, but you’re more focused on people. Why is that?
Jason: Don’t get me wrong, those are focuses of mine as well. But my most important job is to maintain the culture and keep the staff happy. If I take care of my team then they will take care of everything else. When they like their jobs and feel like a respected, valuable part of the team, they’ll do the right thing and have the right attitude – so then the customer is served well. It’s in everyone’s best interest and just good business.
Covideo: That makes sense. But the question is, how do you do that?
Jason: It starts with hiring the right people. We have a diverse group, but the common thread is that they’re all driven. It may be in different ways, but they all have that self-starter attitude. And to actually find that is one of the hardest things. People who can inspire themselves to do good work without being drug along.
Covideo: Ok, so step one: Assemble your dream team. But then what?
Jason: As I said, everyone on our team is driven, but in different ways. It’s important to take a significant interest in each employee. What are their drives and dreams: Reaching goals, professional development and growth, profit sharing, commission/bonuses, time off… I consider all of it. Everyone is motivated and fulfilled by different things and I want to respect those differences.
Covideo: What are some of your other key guidelines for keeping your staff happy?
Jason: They need to feel comfortable to make mistakes and fail – expanding beyond what they already know they’re capable of and stretching themselves without the fear of being reprimanded.
And I always make sure my expectations are super clear. We review performance and set monthly goals that are clearly defined. Then, at the end of the month, either you did it or you didn’t do it. I want everyone to have very clear expectations so that there are no surprises.
But ultimately, it’s about taking the time to listen and treat each employee as an individual. The goal is to provide a place where people can earn a good living at a company where people actually care about them. Motivation comes naturally from that.
Covideo: Well said.
From all of us here at Covideo, we want to wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2017!
Pro Tip from Jason: A great way to better motivate and lead your team is to communicate with them more effectively and authentically. Try using video email for weekly reminders, updates, meeting invites or simply praising the successes of your team in a more personal way.
Covideo provides video email software that helps businesses and individuals communicate more effectively, build relationships faster and reinforce their brands with easy-to-make personalized videos.
