Listening to the pundits discussing the results between the German football clubs and their UK rivals in the Champions League this year, one couldn’t help but hear the strong emphasis on ‘support’, ‘team’, ‘work ethic’ and ‘drive’. Of course there’s more to it than that. The teams were also well balanced, well prepared and well trained. With those fundamentals in place, confidence in their ability to win grew, and with that confidence in place, with hard work, there could only be one result. Or could there? The opposition set out to put them off balance, to shake their confidence, to undermine their resolve. But, and here’s the key, the winners were prepared to put in the required effort and keep on putting in that effort even when fatigue started setting in. If balance, confidence or resolve wavered momentarily, the solution was simple – remain motivated to work harder and harder. Are there lessons here for us in the world of learning and development? Well, I’d simply pose the question: is it possible to demotivate someone simply by saying something? The answer is, yes. We have all had it done to us, and maybe some will admit to having done it to others (accidentally). So is the opposite true: is it possible to motivate someone simply by saying something? The answer, often sadly overlooked by managers, is again yes. Every manager needs to think about each individual, the right words, the right time, the right place. They need to remember what they said last time and indeed what they intend to say next time. Some managers just seem to have the ability to say the right thing and actually nearly everyone can develop the ability. The first step is simple, remember: it is possible to motivate someone simply by saying something. Nigel Walpole, MD, Bray Leino Learning In my series of blogs I’ll talk through my thoughts on some of the key issues facing managers in the workplace - lessons learnt, tips for success and general musings. Follow @nigelbrayleino Copyright © 2014 Bray Leino Learning
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