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Byline: Cord Cooper
9 Virtually all managers have a common goal: Motivate their teams more effectively. So forget crisis mode.
To light fires instead of putting them out:
** Pinpoint workers' interests. Then align them to your company's. "Start by asking the right questions," said performance coach Eric Allenbaugh, whose clients range from health care and manufacturing firms to branches of government.
You can't motivate workers until you know what makes them tick, Allenbaugh says. When coaching, ask questions that target employees' long- and short-term goals. For instance:
1. What do you value most about your job? If they say "security," chances are innovation and risk-taking won't be priorities. Broaden their focus by drawing them out.
2. If you had no limits, what would you want to be doing? This focuses on employees' dreams. Link their dreams to gaining experience on the job, and retention and productivity levels will rise, surveys show.