Here it is... The biggest key to motivating employees... As managers and leaders in our organizations, we want (and often need) our people to be as productive as possible. It is not through exerting your influence over them that you get people to give you their all. If that works at all, it will only be for the short-term, and there will be no lasting impact on productivity. It also is not about empowering people to the point of allowing them to define how productive that they can be. If there are gains from this approach, then they too will be short lived, because what people decide is most productive for them will not always line up with your business objectives. The key to successfully motivating your employees is in developing a relationship with them. Let me explain...

The key to motivating an employee into maximum production is in the connection. And when I use the word "connection," I mean it on two different levels:

1. Connection of goals - There are two sets of goals that will exist in any workplace relationship. One is the company's productivity goals, and the other one is the individuals personal goals. These two goals MUST be connected in order for the individual to give their best, continually, to the company. For example, if Jim Nasium (an employee of yours) wants to move into the Training Department, then he must see how his current role in Tech Support (and educating customers) can help him to get that future role. And if you are willing to allow some creativity, you might be surprised to see how Jim finds new ways to educate customers that even reduces the number of support calls that come in the first place!
   
2. Connection to the individual - The only way that you will ever truly know what people want out of life (so that you can connect to that goal) is through having a sincere relationship with them. Often you will even find that it doesn't take a MAJOR personal investment, but it does require a SINCERE personal investment. The employee must know that you are truly looking out for their success, and your actions (integrity) need to continue to support that idea. It is the idea that, "they don't care that you know, until they know that you care." John Maxwell starts his REAL (What Every Leader Needs to Know) series of books with Relationships 101. The reason that he starts that series with a book on relationships is because he recognizes that the foundation of leading people starts with our connections to them.

Jesus, the greatest leader ever, knew the importance of connection. Often after He taught to the masses, He spent time with His disciples explaining things to them, and investing Himself in their personal development. Jesus also knew what was important to His followers. Particularly in the Sermon on the Mount, He often connected heavenly goals with personal rewards that people had as goals of their own. Most of Jesus' followers were devout Jewish believers. These people knew who their God was, and getting to Heaven was important to them. Therefore, when Jesus spoke of rewards in Heaven, He wasn't trying to reinforce certain behaviors, He was connecting to people's goals.

Today my questions for you are this... What can you do to connect with your people today and learn more about their own personal dreams and aspirations? How can you connect your business objectives with their personal goals? Whatever you do, just make sure that you are sincere in your relationships, and in this responsibility remember that it is not about you!