Motivation and Leadership in the Team - Essay Example

The following factors have been noted to affect motivation: people struggle to do their best to avoid failure or achieve success, low self-confidence in one’s abilities and fear of failure restrain team members, and timely praise comes in handy for motivation of team members (Schultz, 2010). If a leader only dwells on the negative aspects of a team member’s performance and never mentions appreciate when they do the right thing, it impacts negatively on the morale and the performance of the team.

Similarly, not all team members are motivated by the same values and desires, implying a leader should know the desires and values of each member (Designed Learning, 2013). Lastly, both positive and negative comments by a leader influence motivation. However, research indicates that people are more affected by positive comments. Thus, a leader ought to recognize any earnest effort, regardless of its size, and communicate the appreciation back. It would not pay to just appreciate an effort and fail to communicate it to the concerned worker.

Negative feedback should also be communicated in a way that encourages reform on the part of a subordinate. Make the opinions of members count as it will make them feel valued and part of the team. Whenever a leader identifies and corrects a problem, it should be made clear that the comments made are meant to correct the problem and does not necessarily target the person who made the mistake (Pritchard & Ashwood, 2008). Other measures include treating team underachievers with respect and showing them the right way to do tasks, involving all team members in policy formulation, and constantly monitoring the performance of every individual (Pritchard & Ashwood, 2008).