The bad news right now is that employee motivation has taken a hit, thanks to the challenges of the past year and a half.

The good news is that there are lots of tactics that leaders and managers can use to tackle the problem of employee motivation—even if the employees they need to motivate are themselves.

Some highlights from the ASAE and Associations Now archives:

‌How to Stay Motivated When You’re Supposed to Be the Motivator. Emily Golden—a certified coach, speaker, and career performance expert—makes the case in this piece that a bit of humility and vulnerability might be what associations need right now. “What C-suite leaders and senior-level leaders must be doing to preserve themselves during these times is to have a support system that keeps them going,” she says.

CEO to CEO: Staying Motivated. This 2019 roundup of CEO insights highlights additional thoughts from leaders on self-motivation. John D. Clark Jr., CAE, the retired former executive director and CEO of the Building Industry Consulting Service International, puts his thoughts like this: “The drive to ask questions and find better solutions—knowing they are out there somewhere—provides me with more than enough professional motivation.”

‌Eight Leadership Styles and When to Use Them. Rhea Blanken, FASAE, president of Results Technology, rounds up a variety of leadership styles from well-known executives both inside and outside the association and nonprofit space. “New challenges require new leadership skills, behaviors, and ways of communicating,” she writes.

A Better Path to Motivation. This 2018 article tackles the challenges of motivating a broader team, highlighting insights from author Daniel M. Cable, who discussed this issue in his book Alive at Work. “Employees want to be valued for the unique skills and perspectives they bring to the table,” Cable wrote.

‌How to Be an Inspirational Leader. Performance Matters Founder Paul G. Schempp, a professor at the University of Georgia College of Education, discusses the steps that powerful leaders must take to motivate their teams. “Association leaders must master the skill of inspiring others if they want to move staff and members to action—not only furthering the mission of their organization but also promoting the professional well-being of others,” he writes.

 

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