Friday night my wife, neighbor, and me started a fire. It took it several attempts to start the fire.
We had a lighter, fire-wood, a starter log, we even used newspaper to help speed the process of getting the starter log…well started…so that the rest of the fire-wood would burn.
At first we used the lighter, trying to get the corner of the starter log going to see if it would spread to the rest of the fire-wood. That didn’t quite work.
We then took newspaper and made balls out of them, and put them around the starter log and the fire-wood. That didn’t work either.
We then put newspaper under the starter log, and lit the newspaper, and that did the trick.
We lit a fire under it!
What methods do you use to get your team fired up?
Do you tug at the heart strings?
Do you use logic and play to their sense of reason?
Do you play to emotion?
There is a wrong and right way to light a fire under your team, if the struggle of getting the fire in my backyard started is any indication.
The different methods of heart, mind, and emotions are not wrong , as long as they are not used to manipulate people for selfish reasons.
People want to be a part of something great, something awesome, something that is beyond themselves. It really is an innate yearning.
In order to light a fire under, or within people, you must articulate your message, and lead to the following:
1. The team’s sense of purpose.
2. The team must feel they are contributing to the purpose.
3. The team’s mission.
4. The goal they have to reach.
5. The team must feel that their work is being valued.
What else do you believe will help light a fire in people?
Juan,
I think it’s important to build team morale. It’s easy to get caught up in the rinse and repeat of life that we become “machines” or robots and the idea of a team gets disconnected.
This goes back to your point, “The team must feel that their work is being valued.” I work in two different working environments and in both places, you can tell the look on my coworkers’ faces that they don’t feel very appreciated or valued.
The problem? It starts at the top. Whatever is off kilter at top trickles down to employees and it causes a domino effect. Leaders, Supervisors, Managers, etc need to be more aware of how they act and treat their subordinates. If they don’t care, why should the people that work under them care?
It’s not always about the bottom line, it’s about building effective relationships and there isn’t a lot of that, sadly.
The important thing here is that I recognize it and this week I will work harder, but not for
Julie, great commentary. You are right, it’s not all about the bottom line. I know that I use to make the mistake in the past always using “the bottom line” cliche. It is all about relationships. Leaders have to build meaningful, genuine relationships. Like you, I work hard at making sure that I build those relationships on a daily basis. Thanks for sharing.
A leader first needs to be on fire(leading by example) before they can set their people on fire(influencing them to lead with passion). I have found people want to be around and will follow those who are driven and passionate(set on fire)! John Wesley says it well, “When you set yourself on fire, people love to come and see you burn.”
Great post and thoughts.
Dan, great quote from John Wesley. I like it. Thanks for sharing.
I think all you mentioned is vital to helping a team ignite with passion. Taking the time to invest in each member, to let them know they are valued and a needed part of the team is very important. I know I don’t want to take part in something if I don’t feel I am needed. Everyone likes to feel needed…and appreciated. Saying “Thank You” goes a long way.
TC, great point, simple, and not one that should be overlooked. “Thank you” many times is all that is needed. Thanks for sharing.