Motivators for Project managers

" Project Managers should be Motivators." Well that is fair enough to understand. As a project manager you are responsible for the motivation level of your team or others. Well ... What about yourself? ; who is responsible for your motivation?  The Project Manager – He himself has to be a self-Motivator. Does that explain?

Herzberg's Two factors - Look at Motivators

Whatever said and done it is agreeable that the project managers life is very stressful. He would need to find Motivators which make him inspired about a success of his work. It is a common theory that there are two factors which could affect the motivation of people according to the two factor theory for motivation of Herzberg’s  called Motivators and Hygiene factors.   Looking at the Motivators I would suggest project managers should align their attitudes more orient towards Motivators in order to be successful in their career. Looking at Motivators, the Challenge they face is one positive factor. You have enjoyed the challenge than bittering the challenge in every Friday night.  So take day today issues as challenges and try to win them. Don’t try to beat them. Wining and beating are two different things. You win – you share. You beat - it is sense of hatred and arrogance. Winning is empathy. The Winner get lot of support and whilst he becomes charismatic. That will make your tomorrow’s challenge a piece of cake. Yet you become a genuine Hero.

The work you finish

The other motivator is Burn Down. What you burn down is indeed a motivator. Successful accomplishment of deliverables or phases must be celebrated. Make this celebration an opportunity  to recognize people, reward them and motivate them. You don’t always need to use financial rewards, or Parties to make your staff happy. Just a genuine word of appreciation would do it.  But make note that your word has a honest value and it is genuine appreciation and not an illusive dishonest bait to deceive your staff or to your management. If you do appreciate with hidden agenda's or just to get your work done in a self centered way, others will feel it. They will not support you in long term. Remember always that you are a grateful person and your staff is your blood. Ideally As a project manager it is nothing that could keep you happy and motivated than successful deliver of product within agreed budget and within the agreed deadline with no quality complaints.  Have you achieved that pleasure ever? One would hardly or ideally do that. But whatever at last it is what you deliver is what is going to make you proud. So you got the credibility for yourself. Neither to the PMO nor to the customers nor any others but you.

Thrill of being a champion problem solver

You can also enjoy and motivate yourself as a champion problem solver. Your staff is getting paid, your staff is doing well and happy with their life, your PMO is doing well – because you and your team doing it well. So you are a leader of a responsible but winning team. The responsibility you hold to the community, the responsibility you hold to the staff,  the responsibility you hold to all other stake holders in the project is incomparable. Always remind your responsibility and imagine how people depend on your genuine work with the best integrity.

Team Spirit second to none

Always keep the team feeling in air.  A man could enjoy nothing as much as intimacy. Having a nice team culture and leading a confident team is always inspiring. Team spirit always help to keep your Moral high as well as your team’s moral.  It will relieve your stresses during a challenging day.

Charaka Danansooriya