You've left those wonderfully long, lazy days behind; your flip-flops have been replaced by your professional heels, and what was your password again? The vacation is over: goodbye beach, hello coffee machine.
Fresh Enthusiasm versus Workplace Reality
I hope that you, like me, are getting back to work with a full battery. And perhaps in your enthusiasm, you might think that your colleagues also feel that fresh enthusiasm, or that you can at least motivate them with yours. Unfortunately. The reality of the workplace can sometimes be a bit tougher: there's a good chance that someone in your team maintains their negative attitude with fresh energy. Difficult? Yes. Unsolvable? No.
Let's Take a Step Back
Everyone has psychological needs that, when met, ensure you feel good and function well. This creates a good atmosphere, enjoyment, and better results in the workplace. Conversely, when we neglect these needs, we experience stress and miscommunication. This manifests as seeking recognition in a negative way: gossiping, not keeping agreements, and withdrawing are a few examples.
Motivation: how then?
Of course, you could bang your fist on the table. Tell them you find this annoying. Explain to someone that they 'just' need to do their job. These are all strategies with a limited success rate and certainly not conducive to a positive work atmosphere. But how do you motivate effectively? As a manager, I've learned over the years that an open mind is a good starting point.
Open mind, targeted motivation
By looking with an open mind, you can explore an employee's needs and respond to them. And you can start practicing this right away. So... do you see an employee on their first day back from vacation chatting with everyone, instead of 'just getting to work'? And do they then also arrive late for a meeting?
Instead of saying, 'We were supposed to start at 1 PM, weren't we?' you could try something different: 'It's great to see you back in the team with so much energy, have you caught up with everyone already?' Also, genuinely listen to the answer instead of immediately moving to the agenda. There's a good chance the employee will enter the meeting full of energy because you've shown that you value them.
Do you still find it challenging to motivate with an open mind? It doesn't happen automatically, but you can learn it. With the Process Communication Model, you gain tools to understand your own preferences and observe what others need. The result is more effective, enjoyable, and energetic collaboration.
Want to know more?
Do you want to maintain that positive holiday feeling within your team? I'd be happy to tell you more about it, or you can sign up for one of the PCM trainings.
