In order for your staff to feel like they have a sense of purpose within your organization, they must clearly understand where their role fits into the big picture.
In a recent forbes.com article, “Working Without Purpose is a Waste of Time”, John Baldoni says, “Employees without purpose at work feel like they are on a boat without a rudder. They lack direction, as well as motivation.”
If you’re not inspiring your team with purpose, they can have a hard time mustering the energy to complete the tasks you give them.
When financial reporting, accounting, and information technology tasks are so important to your company’s overall objectives, make sure to take into consideration what will truly inspire them to feel a sense of purpose.
You must:
1. Communicate the mission of your company.
Everyone in your organization can be inspired by your company’s mission, especially when they understand the foundation of that mission. This is true of everyone who works for you.
As Kevin Murray explains in a recent excerpt of his book Communicate to Inspire, too often leaders use financial or numbers–based goals to motivate people. It’s your job as a leader to tie those numbers goals back to the bigger picture in order to motivate your staff.
2. Make the Future Real and Inspiring.
Paint a picture for your employees on what the future looks like for your company. Think about tangible ways to integrate this vision and work it into the culture. Take a look at this video series and see the future of glass in a visually–appealing manner. Then, think about other innovative ways you can help your staff see the future of your company and where they fit in that process.
3. Build plenty of context into your training process.
A recent article, 8 Tips for Empowering Your Employees, succinctly explains a common organizational problem. Many leaders carry a lot of information in their brains but do not share all of that knowledge with their team. That makes it hard for employees to take action and make good decisions when they do not have all of the facts.
If you’re going to lead effectively, you have to clearly communicate to your staff. The best way to do this is to start early with a strong training program and then continue the process with ongoing, structured communication and training. Every time you offer ongoing training, you should review the organizational purpose and the specifics of how each role supports that purpose.
What makes your team more engaged, more energized, and more motivated?