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Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz. Featured Biz Question "I need some motivation strategies for staff who are in a creative/sales environment; plus I'd love any advice on how to be a friend and a boss." ---Jesse in Minnesota, owner of a dance studio/instruction business Answer from our Guest Expert Terri Levine of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc. Hi, Jesse, Your request for tips on employee motivation and for solving the dilemma of being friend and boss are very common. Probably nearly every small business owner has wrestled with these issues at one point or another. So thanks for taking the time to ask them here at Idea Cafe. Motivating Your Staff It's important to understand that often motivation is an "inside job" and not an "outside thing" we do to people or provide for employees. The trick is to get the people excited themselves, from their inside. You can be inspirational with external employee programs and incentives, but until someone's spirit and drive is enflamed internally, your outside efforts won't be as effective. So heck! How do you get "inside" your staff to motivate them? I offer you the following tips for helping others get themselves turned on: Have them focus on what's right and what's working. Keep the positive moves and steps in the forefront. Ask them what they want to feel. Help them create and reflect on their ideal visions. Notice what's not quite right yet, and brainstorm with them how to make it better for everyone. Stop the chatter about what's not working. Friend and Boss Many people experience difficulty in being both a boss and a friend. I've even heard it said you can't do both. However, I've proved them wrong, and you can too. To be a boss, you set limits, boundaries, clearly communicate and speak your truth. To be a friend, you follow that same advice. To wear both hats, you simply need to always speak truthfully. With respect to employees, let them know, without any charge or judgment, when something isn't quite right and that you're wearing the "boss" hat. Never make statements about them as people -- only make statements about their behaviors that aren't quite right. SO... Enjoy your employees, be friendly with them and focus on having them motivate themselves! Terri Levine, President, ComprehensiveCoachingU.com Author, Work Yourself Happy and Coaching for an Extraordinary Life Enter your search terms Submit search form       Search Idea Cafe Web Small Business Tax Center • Idea Cafe Home • Sign Up • Biz Grant Center • CyberSchmooz •Coffee Talk with Experts • People in Biz Profiles • Starting Your Biz • Biz Planning • Running Your Biz • FREE Trade Publications • Marketing • Financing Your Biz • Human Resources • Legal & Biz Forms • Managing Your Biz • eCommerce • You and Your Biz • Gen X • Work@Home • The Fridge • De-Stress • Send an Award • Send an eGreeting • Yoga @ Your Desk • Web Guide • Idea Cafe in the News • About Idea Cafe • Advertise on Idea Cafe • Contact Us • Privacy Policy • Site Map • Small Biz News Copyright 1995-2023, Idea Cafe Inc. Downloads are for personal use only, not for resale to others, and may not be reprinted in any form without written permission from Idea Cafe Inc. DISCLAIMER: We hope whatever you find on this site is helpful, but be cautioned that it may not apply to your own situation, or be totally current at any given time. Idea Cafe Inc. and all of its current and past experts, sponsors, advertisers, agents, contractors and advisors disclaim all warranties with regard to anything found anywhere on this family of websites, quoted from, or sent from Idea Cafe. and its related sites, publications and companies. We also take no responsibility for comments published by others on these pages. TRADEMARKS: The following are Registered Trademarks or Servicemarks of DevStart, Inc.: Idea Cafe®, Online Coffee Break®, The Small Business Gathering Place®, Take out Info®, Biz Bar & Grill®, Complaint-O-Meter®, A Fun Approach to Serious Business™, CyberSchmooz™, and BizCafe™.

[an error occurred while processing this directive] About the Expert Terri Levine Owner of Comprehensive Coaching U, Inc. Fed up with her high-paying, corporate job, Terri took control of her life and became a biz coach (and published author). She loves helping others to "work happy" in her new biz. more