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Summary: The best leadership is motivational. But author contends that most leaders misunderstand motivation. Here are four laws of motivation that will help you be a better motivational leader. In this second of two parts, author expands on laws he described in Part One.
The Four Laws Of Leadership. (Part Two) by Brent Filson
In Part One, I described laws of motivation. In Part Two, I'll examine laws in more detail.
Law 1. Motivation is physical action. Motivation isn't about what people think or feel but about what they physically do. In leadership, you should understand difference between inspiration and motivation.
The word "inspiration" comes from ancient Greeks and oracle of Delphi. The oracle would sit in front of a fissure in earth and breath in (inspire) earth vapors and in a half-drugged state, make her pronouncements. For instance, when she told Greeks only a "wall of wood" would save them from being annihilated by Persians, it was Greeks themselves who had to take action and build up a great navy that ultimately defeated Persians at Battle of Salamis.
Motivation, on other hand, comes from a complex of words beginning with "mo." Motion, motor, momentum, etc. all denote physical action.
Getting people to not simply be inspired but motivated to take physical action may seem like a simple, even simplistic, approach to leadership. However, once you begin to see your leadership interactions in terms of physical action, you'll see your leadership, and way you get results, in fresh ways.
For instance, in my seminars, participants develop Action Plans designed to achieve measurable and continual results back on job. I have them challenge cause leaders they enlist to take physical action by asking them, "What three or four leadership actions, PHYSICAL ACTIONS, will you take to achieve results we need?" The difference between people simply saying they will execute their part of Plan and their committing to specific physical actions leads to a significant difference in results.
Remember, people who simply take some action are useless to organization. The useful ones are those who take action for results. For end of all action in an organization is results. Therefore, best action is freely chosen action directed toward specific results.
Law 2. Motivation is their choice. When you face a particularly tough challenge, avoid meeting that challenge by ordering people; instead, have people make choices to meet challenges.
An effective way to have them make right choices is to ask them questions.
Here is a tip that you can start using immediately to become a more effective leader. Put question marks, not periods, at end of your sentences. That's one of best ways of developing an environment in which people are making choices for results.
Some of most powerful questions a leader can ask are: "What is our challenge here? Why is it worth tackling? How do we feel about it? Do we have facts we need? Are we asking right questions? What results are we really seeking? What's worse thing that can happen? Why are we having this problem? Can you explain that further? What if we do nothing? Have we explored creative approaches? What do you propose? And what can I do to help?"
