Knowing your business is actually a rather small part of the job of being an entrepreneur. More than knowing your product, your job is also to inspire and motivate your team to do well.
After all, being an entrepreneur is all about bring people and technology together in a way that produces a product. And no matter how good the technology is, if people aren’t motivated, your business won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
Just focusing on your own personal goals won’t get you very far in business. You need to step back and think about the goals of everybody who works with you. When you do this, you’ll soon have a more highly motivated team. And when your colleagues are motivated, you reach your goals faster. Here’s what to do.
Don’t bother with micromanaging
Micromanagement is one of those annoying habits we grow up with. Usually, it’s the result of the way that we were parented. If you had a parent who was always over your shoulder telling you what to do, you’ll know what this means.
Often micromanagement stems from a feeling of insecurity. Will employees actually carry out the work in the way that you want them to? And will they be good ambassadors for the business?
Letting go of this worry is necessary. It’s critical that workers have the space to explore and implement their own ideas. Thus, it’s up to you to make great hiring decisions and bring the right people into the business. Good employees shouldn’t need micromanaging.
Reward success
When employees do well, it’s nice to reward them in some way, besides just paying them. This makes them feel that they are doing something that is truly valued by the business. And it can help give them a sense of pride in the company itself. Sales awards, day trips and even simple gratitude all boost morale and motivate employees.
Brainstorm with colleagues
You want every member of your team to feel like they’ve got skin in the game. You don’t want your startup to feel like a big, authoritarian institution. Every person needs to feel like they are a stakeholder for the team to come together. One cool idea is to include your entire team in brainstorming sessions.
More often than not, many brains together are better than one. Plus, it helps to motivate your team. If they can propose ideas that actually impact the business, they’ll feel more in touch with it and connected to their work.
Ask lots of questions
In any social situation, asking questions is a good idea. But it’s particularly important for those at the helm of the business. Asking questions is the only bona fide method you have of actually discovering what your employees are thinking. If you don’t know the problems in your business, how can you put them right?
Encourage personal growth
Great leaders to everything they can to facilitate personal growth among their team members. Recommend to your colleagues that they read books on personal success and that they network at business events.