Motivating Others

Motivating others can seem to be equivalent to pushing water up hill. I know I've tried. In fact I try every single day to offer you thoughts, suggestions and musings that you can incorporate into your daily strategies in the hope that you can get more out of your life.

So do I get frustrated and down when people don't take a blind bit of notice or unsubscsribe? Absolutely not, I consider the people who do unsubscribe to be either "cured", too busy or not yet ready to move on to the next level.

One thing I have discovered through the process is that you cannot change anyone, although most married couples I know of have tried, and in the main have failed. You see you have to want to change, you have to want things to be different for you. And so does everyone else for significant differences and changes to take place.

You can show some people a gold mine and tell them all they have to do is dig in order to get rich. But the people who don't want a better life will complain about getting their hands dirty or how much a pick and shovel costs.

So what can you do when faced with people who you know need to do things differently but don't seem to be incapable of doing so?

Well all you can do is be a better person yourself. That's it.

You can't force people to like each other and expect them to get on in a work place, so how can you expect them to do so on a self-made raft in the middle of a river? Answer - you can't, because you will only find resentment where you might have expected gratitude.

Someone I know has been trying to get their partner to stop smoking for years. Sure the person stops for a little while, usually because of illness or nagging, but then starts the process again - because they really didn't want to stop smoking in the first place. They were trying to change their normal behaviour for someone elses perception of what normal behaviour should be, and it didn't work. And yes that person is a highly educated one, and knows all the inherent risks of smoking, but chooses to continue.

As mangers and leaders this leaves us with an interesting dilemma. If we can't motivate others where does that leave our businesses?

Well the amswer lies in self respect, respect for others to do their jobs to the best of their abilities, to offer encouragement and training where appropriate and an environment that encourages creativity as well as productivity. If you get people to work for you who enjoy doing what they are doing, then you are half way there. But if you are struggling with someone elses legacy it may take some time to get people to change on their own behest.

As you know by now, change can be scary for some people.
  
With Many thoughts,
Elle
MotivateMe! Providing you with the strategies you need to overcome the procrastination habit.

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MMO1