CPD tips - Motivating a team with different personalities

As a leader of any team, the motivation and engagement of employees is a top priority. Studies have shown that teams with highly engaged employees can be up to 21% more profitable and that disengaged employees cost businesses a huge amount of money - the Engagement Institute estimated that disengagement costs US companies as much as $550 billion a year.

Clearly, the need to motivate employees is paramount, but how can you as a leader get the most out of your employees all of whom are individual people with different needs, wants and personalities?

Here are our top tips for doing just that.

Tips for motivating people with different personalities 

1. Be wary of labelling your team

There’s plenty of literature out there that explains how an ‘introvert’ or a ‘type a personality’ will likely behave and want to be motivated. The truth is, we’re all much more nuanced in our personalities which are also ever-evolving. Treat everyone as an individual with preferences on how they like to be managed as well as what drives them but understand this is changeable.

2. Ask people what motivates them

This seems obvious but is not always everyone’s first port of call. It’s always a good idea to gauge from an individual what they think is the most important motivator for them. It may not always be accurate, but it’s the perfect jumping-off point and shows that you value their input.

3. Be perceptive

Though asking team members what motivates them, it pays to be hyper-perceptive when it comes to motivation and performance within a team. People may like to think that the freedom to be a self-starter motivates them to succeed, but regular positive reinforcement and consistent communication are much more effective.

Keep note of what people say motivates them and what potential other factors could contribute when they perform particularly well. The key is to then bring this information to them in one-to-one meetings to see if it’s something they may find to be particularly motivating.

4. Support your team members differently but equally

Catering your approach to motivating each individual is absolutely a great way to get the best out of each team member but be careful not to offer unbalanced attention and support because of this. If certain team members benefit from more communication, oversight and feedback but others are happy to self-manage, don't simply neglect the self-starters. Make sure to offer check-ins as frequently and be as available as possible.

Strategies and tips to motivate any team

Understanding the individual needs of your team is essential in getting the most out of them and ensuring they’re engaged and fulfilled in their work. However, there are also fundamental initiatives that can be used across most teams and underpin strong motivation. These include:

Outline a collective vision

Numerous studies have shown that a shared understanding of goals is a major factor in developing team cohesion and motivation. If everyone understands what the team is working towards and how they, as individuals, can help contribute to that shared goal, everyone is much more likely to be engaged in actively working to achieve it. 

Give people the space to thrive

Micromanaging is widely regarded as a managerial sin, but the prevalence is still widely experienced in the workplace. Micromanagement often leads to low team morale and high staff turnover and has even been recognised by some as a form of bullying. It’s abundantly clear that avoiding micromanagement is essential to motivating teams. One way to guarantee this is to offer team members the space to self-manage. This involves trusting them to do their work in the ways that suit them best.

An important distinction here is the difference between offering space and being absent. It’s still necessary to regularly check in and offer all the support that team members need while allowing them to perform their roles in a way that allows them to be their best.

Uphold healthy working habits 

This can include a range of initiatives and policies from offering flexible working to ensuring a realistic workload to investing in mental health support. A good way to ensure your team is happy and healthy in their work is to supply regular anonymous surveys that allow team members to voice their opinions and score their work life. This allows you to track performance and identify the most important areas to staff members.

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We hope this article was helpful. Established in 1996, The CPD Certification Service has over 27 years’ experience providing CPD accreditation. With members in over 100 countries, our CPD providers benefit from the ability to promote themselves as part of an international community where quality is both recognised and assured.

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