Motivation: The Driving Force For Success

Motivation: The Driving Force For Success

MOTIVATION is defined as the reason(s) one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. The general desire or willingness of someone to do something.

As a Leader (and Coach), your first objective when working with people is to understand their motivation. How can you encourage your team to “act in a particular way” unless you know their reason?

As a Banker or Salesperson, your ability to help more clients is strongly driven by your ability to understand their reason (or need) to engage you. What is motivating clients/prospects to change banks or suppliers?

Therefore the driving force for leadership and sales success is understanding your staff and client’s motivations – and helping them achieve their goals. 

But when developing your plan of action, your conviction to execute will also depend upon your own motivations – your own personal goals.

Over the last few months, it is fair to say that everyone’s motivations have been tested or shaken. The uncertainty of our situation has made us question (and possibly rethink) our desires. How well do you understand those “new” desires, reasons and motivations?

To successfully navigate these unchartered waters and ultimately steer the ship into greater prosperity (as your bank/business and the economy re-opens) will require deliberate and determined action.

When developing a successful action plan, it’s important you take the time to truly understand:

1. Your Client’s Motivations
2. Your Staff’s Motivations
3. Your Motivations

1. Your Client’s Motivations

How have your client’s and prospect’s goals changed during this economic crisis?

Are they trying to survive or have they been able to thrive?

Many businesses have gravitated to new bank/supply partners during this pandemic because they have been more willing to assist them with their needs. But what has truly motivated these businesses to change?

• Desperation or fear of failure
• The need for an attentive and responsive provider
• Expert advice to leverage opportunities or avoid loss

By understanding the motivations of your client’s and prospects you can develop a more customized marketing plan and engagement strategy. This will allow you to not only satisfy their immediate goals, but become their long term finance or business partner.

2. Your Staff’s Motivations

Over the last few months we have become more familiar with our staff’s feelings and concerns as we have more frequently checked-in on their well being. As a result of this trepidation we have discovered more about what motivates our staff and keeps them resilient.

I encourage all Leaders to continue exploring your staff’s immediate and long term goals.

Below are a number of images that you can share with your staff to help you better determine what motivates them.

Why do they come to work everyday?

Why do they want to be successful?

Dig deep. Get very SPECIFIC about their personal motivations. For example: “To provide for my family” is not an acceptable response. Ask them what they SPECIFICALLY want for their family.

Agree on a plan to help your staff achieve BOTH their personal AND Bank goals. Then watch them fly! 

3. Your Motivations

Do you truly understand what motivates you?

Do you understand what drives you to make that extra call or write that extra email?

Which of the above images inspires you?

The anxieties, disruptions and concerns caused by this pandemic have naturally impacted your motivation to excel. But it’s important to remain convicted to your goals or at least consider whether those goals still matter.

The above picture is of my wife’s beautiful belly …. where our soon-to-arrive twin babies currently reside …. and our three year old daughter Mabel. As many regular readers know, I also have three daughters living in Australia.

My personal goal has been to create a career and a lifestyle where I can comfortably work and play in two countries while providing plenty of wonderful opportunities for my family to fulfill their dreams and desires.

As a professional consultant (and business owner), I have felt the sting of this pandemic as it impacted my ability to speak at conferences and provide onsite coaching. Obviously this affected my earnings. So much so that I needed to reflect upon my personal goals and motivations.

Can I still achieve the career and lifestyle I want? 

Are those goals still important to me?

Clearly it would be easier to return to Australia with my American family and simply get a job with a local bank.

But would that make me happy? Is that consistent with what motivates me?

The answer is a resounding no!

So I took the time to reflect upon the current motivations of my clients and their staff and I created a new plan of action.

And I am pleased to say it has been highly successful. Some actions are different – and I feel like I have worked harder over the past 2 months than ever before – but I am achieving my personal goals and staying highly motivated.

Better yet, we are now well positioned for my wife and I to take some valuable time off to care for the twins when they arrive in 6 weeks and to fly to Australia in September for my 18 year old daughter’s graduation. Now THAT makes me happy.

To drive greater success for you, your organization and your clients, take the time to truly understand your/their current and long-term goals.

By better understanding these motivations and designing a plan for achievement, you can be assured that you/they will take deliberate and determined action. 

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Article written by Joe Micallef – Sales Strategist & Coach – Grow UP Sales. For more advice on how to better understand motivations and create effective action plans please email joe@growupsales.com or visit the webpage www.growupsales.com

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