3rd in a Series by Texas Authors Rachel Woods & Toni Anne Dashiell
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas With a historic election in November GOP leaders must employ classic leadership skills to win; motivating skills may be the most critical. Motivating others is at the heart of leadership.
Why is it so challenging to motivate others?
Probably because we often believe in the myth that motivating" is something we can do to" others. It is easy to fall into this trap.
However the truth is that motivation" is an internal state that directs individuals toward certain goals of their own. We cannot reach into the minds of others and make them do what we want them to do but we can seek to inspire" the motivation of others.
In order for them to join us and work with us toward the same goals we must first genuinely listen and learn in order to understand them."
Below are techniques for how you can help to inspire" the motivation of people who visit or who are members of your organization as found in our book
Leading for Freedom: Leadership Skills for Republicans. Before reading the techniques take the following action:
- Consider your goal(s). What do you want to accomplish?
Fill in the blanks below with WHO you need to take action toward this goal.
- For example if you want a highly motivated group of members in your organization then put MEMBERS in the blank. By taking these actions in your organization you will have a more motivated membership. A motivated membership translates into higher morale and productivity. If your goal is more specific than this such as to increase the motivation of young people to be involved in your organization then write YOUNG PEOPLE and apply the principles.
1.) Place ________ in Roles in which they are Motivated to Serve. If you are in a leadership role and learn of someones special interest or skill who is interested in using this skill to serve your organization ask yourself if there is a current place for them on a committee or in a particular role. If there is not a current place is it possible to create a position for them? Remember that an active person is a
motivated person.
2.) Prioritize Immediate Involvement of ____________in Your Organization. People are motivated to stay where they are welcome and needed. Therefore it is imperative that your organization establishes frequent consistent and multiple means of encouraging participation of new and established members.
3.) Discover the specific needs interests and talents of ___________. Knowing what drives others will help you to determine how best to match their interests with tasks to be completed based on broader strategic plans for election and organizational victory. Use multiple means of receiving this information for i.e. casual conversations surveys phone calls or e-mail.
4.) Help _____________to Identify with the Organization. Help prospective new and experienced members to see how their involvement is linked to a greater shared mission. In other words make sure each person understands how their role is linked back to an objective of the organization. Keep your organizations mission in front of them. People are busier than ever
and can join any number of niche clubs. So it is imperative that they see their time spent with your organization as time well spent. What ways can you think of to help people identify with your organization?
5.)
Help __________ to See How their Specific Efforts Connect to Desired Results. No matter what someones role is in an organization it is a valuable role. It might seem trivial or behind the scenes but it can still be integral to the organizations success. Help them to see how their involvement in your organization will help reach goals.
6.) Remove as Many Barriers to the Participation of ____________as Possible. In many organizations there are barriers to membership participation that have been identified or that go unidentified. Any barrier to participation means there is a barrier to member motivation and therefore to action.
- Identify what potential barriers are to _________________s motivation.
- Once you have discovered what barriers exist prioritize them from most crucial to least crucial.
- Then brainstorm ways to remove the barriers and take action!
7.) Dont forget to acknowledge ________________ that are already motivated. Acknowledge them publicly for the great work they are doing to further the cause of freedom. We want to keep active and motivated _______________ active and motivated.
By exercising these motivating skills either your own team members or new recruits will more likely want to help your organization be successful this could mean great things for the Republican Party and the outlook of our country. To freedom!
LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE
- How can you and/or your organization ensure that you are learning the specific interests of your members or prospective members?
- How can you help new and experienced members to see how their involvement in your organization is linked to a greater shared mission?
- How can you help people to understand how their specific efforts connect to the intended result of your organizational mission?
NEXT ISSUE: LEADING REPUBLICANS THROUGH PHASES OF TEAM DEVELOPMENT
Next in this series we will explore how you can manage the four phases of team development.
Whether you are holding a fundraiser managing a team of block walkers or running a campaign your team will be able to reach its goal more effectively and efficiently.
For more ways to motivate others read
Leading for Freedom: Leadership Skills for Republicans.
For more information about Texas Authors Rachel Woods & Toni Anne Dashiell or to order Leading for Freedom" with foreword by U.S. Senator John Cornyn visit Leading for Freedom.
