Work environment and motivation to lead
Does the environment in which you work affect your motivation to lead? Explain.
In the work environment motivation is important and my motivation to lead is to support teamwork, encourage open communication, and learn from one another. I would think my leadership style is to motivate others to lead and develop a positive classroom climate every day.
Very inspirational to see you include, "...to learn from one another." That surely makes for a motivational environment. I'm curious, Virgie, it sounds as if you have control within a classroom setting but how does the environment outside your classroom impact your motivation to lead?
Yes, I thankfully work in an environment where do we work together as a team and I am able to effectively motivate my team members both above and below myself. I feel that as a manager it is important to set the tone in the office where employees are open to sharing ideas and taking risks to reach goals and find solutions to our problems.
Excellent! You also bring up a great point - you can have an impact on others even though they don't directly report to you (including your own supervisors). Have you ever worked in a less than cohesive environment and if so, how does it impact your motivation?
In a less cohesive environment there is lack of motivation. In the past I have work in an office where employees were not treated with respect by their managers and there was a high turn over rate. There was no team building or openness to share new ideas and it was draining. This high turnover of employees was a direct result of the difficult work environment and lack of leadership providing direction and vision for the team.
It sounds as if you've experienced some of the fallout from poor leadership. Even though it sounds unpleasant, the good thing is you seemed to have learned a lot from this experience. What might be a way to counteract management's actions to build a team and motivate them in a single direction even when not in charge?
I believe that that leader determines the environment in which one is motivated. It is my belief that the leader doesn't have the option to allow the environment to affect motivation. The leader is the motivater, regardless of the environment in which he/she is the surrounded by.
Yes, I agree. The lack of leadership tends to set the stage for the environment. If the leader is not motivating, then it becomes very difficult for others to be motivated. T believe that a great leader, leads by example.
Absolutley, Amanda! Have you ever considered how others might lead even when they're not "in charge?"
Great insight, Amanda! So a leader has a huge impact on the environment yet can also lead in any situation regardless of the surroundings (albeit tougher). Have you ever worked in an environment like that?
I believe that in a leadership role, the leader would determine and perhaps change the environment if necessary. It is part of being a leader.
You are right, Blanca. A leader definitely has the ability to change an environment as long as the followers want to move in the same direction. How do you think a leader can successfully change an environment? For example, given everything that is happening in the career college sector (governmental influence), how might an admissions or campus leader change the environment to recognize external mandates? Any ideas?
A leader can change the evironment by coaching, encouraging, training, guiding and leading by example. One example that comes to mind is when the Director of Education left and the campus was currently awaiting for a new Director of Education, everyone was nervous and frantic about who will be coming in to lead the department. As Intermin DOE at the time, I encouraged the department that they are a successful team and that a new leader would see that and continue to aid in their success. At this time a peace came over the department thus ecouraging and changing the current environment.
Excellent example, Blanca! Thank you for sharing such a motivational example. Continued success to you!
The environment definitely can impact the motivation to lead, but a strong leader has the power to transform that environment. For example, when I began working at my current campus as DOE, the environment was rather negative. Leadership had been shaky, students were dissatisfied, and staff were concerned about the security of their jobs. I immediately worked to change the environment by fostering a positive outlook in all areas. I started with something very simple. No one was allowed to complain about any issues. If something wasn't working the way it should, we would address it and get it fixed, but no gripe sessions - ever. We were (the faculty and staff) only allowed to express positive opinions.
It worked like a charm. Many issues began to quickly be resolved and morale shot WAY up.
Sometimes the simple answer really is all you need.
Hello Susan. What a great story and leadership approach. It reminds me of the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) angle we use in consulting projects. The concept of AI is to look for what is going well and do more of it rather than look for what is bad and wrong.
It appears that you directed the language and thereby the attitudes of your team by focusing on how to move foward vs. staying stuck in the past. I can imagine morale increased tremendously with this approach. When people focus on the positive; creativity and energy increase.
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful example of leadership, Susan. Continued success!
Sometimes it does. I am in a call center environment and there is not a lot of privacy. When we are trying to motivate or provide feedback on calls, everyone can hear what we say.
So are you saying the lack of privacy prevents you from taking a leadership role?
I do have a leadership role, but it is always in a public environment. Sometimes I find that associates prefer a private arena for motivation/feedback.
