I read an article in Inc magazine about 9 things that motivate employees more than money.  I consider myself a pretty good manager/motivator (evidenced by how well the people I’ve led performed and “liked” their job), so some of this I already knew and follow, and some was refreshingly new.

I always knew that the biggest motivator for people is making them feel valuable, maybe even essential.  Money can’t always do that (and shouldn’t have to).

Another thing I learned very early on is “you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”.  The only kind of criticism that can ever be effective is the kind you see results with – constructive criticism.  Negative criticism or public beratement is not only counter-productive but can have other consequences.

Something else mentioned was to make everyone a leader and get rid of project managers.  Get rid of project managers?  Huh?  But if you think about it, that makes a lot of sense.  Getting people involved to where they count is another very important factor.  Not to belabor the overused “team spirit”, letting people know that their input carries as much weight as yours speaks volumes.  I have often asked my staff, after reviewing the project at hand, “does that make sense to you?”  And I would welcome their feedback.  I usually say, “if you’re in this meeting I want to hear from you”.

My spiritual mentor says, “A good leader creates followers.  A great leader creates leaders.”