People become Leaders in lots of ways but they also come with existing attributes. If you want to become a leader it is worth considering yourself not as an empty vessel but as someone with huge potential.

This week, as you go about your work, start looking at the things which you would consider are leadership qualities that you already have and are doing in the workplace. You will be surprised.

Firstly make sure you have an understanding of what motivation means, secondly consider how motivation occurs and finally look at ways of how you as a manager can begin to build into your Leadership skills motivational practices at work.

To begin when thinking about motivating staff you need to have the definition of motivation in mind. It is widely agreed that motivation is the internal condition that activates behavior and gives it direction; and that it also energizes and directs goal-oriented behavior.

How does this occur in the workplace? When looking at your managerial skills in staff motivation you will also need to begin considering the key concepts of motivation:

Intrinsic Motivation and Extrinsic motivation

• Intrinsic motivation mainly comes from rewards inherent to a s task or activity itself best viewed as the joy of doing a job. Research in this area which you may find useful is based on the work of Fritz Heider, Bandura and Deci.

• Extrinsic motivation is generally something that comes from outside of the performer or worker and there is no great surprise when I say that an example of this is money! But it also includes rewards and punishments (I do not recommend punishment) etc.

So finally it is important that you as a manager get the balance of understanding what motivates your workers and how they are motivated in the most beneficial way. How you put it all together to motivate your staff using Leadership skills will develop your staff, your business and your career.

And a final word for you as a manager “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”- Jim Rohn

Many managers have found it beneficial to look at how they communicate in order to motivate those around them. There are several very good digital products which can help you such as this digital ebook

After reading this e-book you will know how to:

* Press your audiences’ ‘hot-buttons’
* Speak so people will want to listen
* Be prepared for your next sales presentation
* Connect with your audience in the most powerful way possible
* Put forward a different opinion and have others buy into it
* Sell with stories