How To Reignite The Passion Of Your Disengaged Team Member
If you’re a plant parent, you know the heartbreak of seeing your once-thriving plant just… kind of sitting there. You remember the early days, when it was shiny and the growth was steady, but now it seems like it’s just taking up space. This describes my Fiddle Leaf Fig. After a couple of months, it just stopped thriving. And then the real decline started — it started losing its leaves, and I couldn’t help but think it was disengaged or unmotivated to grow.
As I was reflecting on the experience, I realized that there are sometimes team members who are just like this plant. They might start out really strong, but gradually start to show up to work, do the bare minimum, and no longer seem to care to grow, let alone thrive.
The good news for my Fiddle Leaf Fig, now that it’s warmer outside, is that I can take it outside and put it in an environment that’s more conducive for growth and it will probably return to some level of thriving. But what about that team member? How do you change the environment for them to help them to move from disengaged to engaged? Here are three suggestions:
One of the most effective ways to support your colleagues or employees in their professional and personal growth is to have a G-R-O-W conversation with them.
This coaching technique is a four-step process that includes setting Goals, establishing the Reality of the current situation, generating Options, and defining a Way Forward.
G — Begin by asking your colleague about their Goals for their work and life, and then dig deeper into what matters most to them. It’s crucial to have an open and honest conversation in which they feel comfortable sharing their aspirations and thought processes.
R — The next step is to assess the Reality of their present situation to understand where they currently stand. What are their strengths, weaknesses, and challenges? Are they facing any obstacles that may be hindering their progress towards their goals?
O — With this understanding in place, you can then explore and generate Options together that may help them move forward towards their intended goals. This can involve brainstorming new ideas, strategies, or perhaps even considering alternative career paths.
W — Finally, define a Way Forward by creating a clear and actionable plan outlining steps they can take to turn their goals into a reality. Ensure that you offer to walk with them through this process so that they feel supported and encouraged to make progress. By doing so, they will come to realize that their job is not just a mundane task, but a valuable opportunity for professional and personal growth.
A second suggestion that can help when you have a team member who’s struggling with motivation at work is to create some stretch assignments for them.
(Not exactly THAT type of stretching.)
Essentially, these are tasks or projects that are a bit outside of their current comfort zone or skill set, but that you believe they are capable of achieving with some effort. The key is to find assignments that engage their interests and values, so that they are more excited and motivated to take them on. Perhaps there’s a project related to a topic they’re passionate about, or a task that connects to a skill they are eager to develop. By presenting these stretch assignments as opportunities for growth and development, you’ll be able to not only spark their motivation, but also help them build confidence and boost their performance over time. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of assignments and remember to provide ongoing support and feedback to help guide them along the way.
A third suggestion is to take a closer look at your team and your organization to find someone who may have a better understanding of a particular team member. You’ve got different perspectives and different backgrounds and no amount of empathy or emotional intelligence is going to make up for that.
Let’s face it…as a leader or manager, it’s impossible to connect with every individual on a deep level all the time.
But, identifying someone who can is an excellent way to support your team in new and innovative ways. By creating this dynamic, team members can benefit from a unique relationship — one that allows them to build strong professional connections, talk through challenges, overcome obstacles, and find meaning and motivation at work.
It’s important to remember that waiting too long to put a team member in a healthy environment can have consequences. The more time that passes before action is taken, the more difficult it can be to restore that person’s motivation to previous levels. Whether you’re dealing with a plant or a person on your team, proactively addressing issues and fostering strong relationships is key to success.
