How to Motivate Staff

The question of how to motivate staff has vexed the owners of small businesses for years.  It seems that there are three big approaches used by most: try to be friends and lean on that friendship; offer rewards; use threats/punishments (these last two together are the carrot and stick approach).

Here is a completely different way of thinking about motivation.

Then think hard about how you manage your team.

Is everything you do based around reward?

Do you have a compelling vision to encourage your staff to be part of something bigger than just a business?

How much freedom do you give your staff to feel like they’re not simply lab-rats running on a wheel?

Food for thought, eh?