In this episode, we’re going to talk about how to maintain your focus and motivation while you work toward achieving your goals. Remember that achieving your goals is a process, not an event. It takes time, energy, motivation, and the ability to deal with adversity. It doesn’t happen all at once. But if you set SMART goals, manage them well, find the right time and resources, and maintain motivation, you’ll get there.
Welcome back Business English Skills 360 for the first part of our series on achieving your goals. In this episode, we’re going to focus on setting SMART goals and effective goal management.
Now, when I talk about goals, I’m talking about any kind of goal. It could be a personal goal, like improving your sales pitch, or an organizational goal, like expanding successfully into new territory. The basics are the same and these tips apply to goals of any size or scope.
There are many strategies you can use to motivate people. One way is to reward them. This reward can be emotional, such as acknowledgement or praise for a job well done. Or, it can be more concrete, like a cash bonus or a prize.
In this lesson, we’ll look at motivation through rewards. We’ll discuss how to acknowledge your team’s efforts and give praise. We’ll also look at how to introduce challenges, friendly competition, and incentives. Finally, we’ll talk about some ways to finish up a meeting so that your team feels energized for the work ahead.
Last time, we listened to Joe, the manager of the sales department at a resort, motivating his team after a round of layoffs. Today, we’ll go back to Joe’s team a month later. They’ve made good progress since their first meeting and Joe wants to keep his staff motivated so that they will continue to succeed.
Listening Questions
1. Why is the team happy with Nick? 2. What is the first prize for the sales competition? 3. What does Deborah think about the challenge?
This is the the first of a two-part Business English Pod series on motivating your team.
Motivation is an important force in business. Much of what gets accomplished is driven by a team’s motivation. When employees feel energized about a project, they’re more likely to contribute ideas and work hard toward success. But if they’re not motivated, their commitment – and the chances of success – diminish.
Sometimes, motivation is difficult to achieve. Circumstances such as a poor economy or downsizing can devastate employee morale, or optimism. Employees may feel defeated, uncertain about their future, and not at all excited about the work ahead.
In this lesson, we’ll look at some ways to motivate your team. We’ll discuss how to acknowledge obstacles that may hold a team back. We’ll cover ways to convey enthusiasm and make people feel valued. And we’ll talk about how team members can contribute to the discussion and brainstorm.
Today we’ll listen to Joe, a manager at a resort, try to motivate his sales team. The department has been downsized considerably and morale is low. Still, they have important work to do.
Listening Questions:
1. Why does Joe say that the team looks different now? 2. What idea does Carl suggest? 3. What is Nick’s idea?
