Methods for Maintaining Motivation in Challenging Times

Let’s face it - current headlines spell a recipe for employee stress. Raging inflation, recession worries, international strife, social justice issues, and overall uncertainty pile onto already full work plates. As business leaders, keeping teams motivated despite swirling fears matters more than ever. Here are 5 strategies I lean into to curb burnout and boost morale during turbulent times: 1. Overcommunicate Context and Vision: Proactively address concerns through radical transparency and big picture framing. Our SOP is to hold quarterly all hands and monthly meetings grouped by level cohort and ramp up fireside chats and written memos when there are big changes happening. 2. Enable Flexibility and Choice: Where Possible Empower work-life balance and self-care priorities based on individuals’ needs. This includes our remote work policy and implementing employee engagement tools like Lattice to track feedback loops. 3. Spotlight Impact Through Community Stories: Connect employees to end customers and purpose beyond daily tasks. We leveled up on this over the past 2 years. We provide paid volunteer days to our employees and our People Operations team actively connects our employees with opportunities in their region or remotely to get involved monthly. Recently we added highlighting the social impact by our employees into our internal communications plan. 4. Incentivize Cross-Collaboration: Reduce silos by rewarding team-wide contributions outside core roles. We’ve increased cross team retreats and trainings to spark fresh connections as our employee base grows. 5. Celebrate the Humanity: Profile your employee’s talents beyond work through content spotlight segments. We can’t control the market we operate in, but as leaders we can make an impact on how we foster better collaboration to tackle the headwinds. Keeping spirits and productivity intact requires acknowledging modern anxieties directly while sustaining focus on goals ahead. Reminding your teams why the work matters and that they are valued beyond output unlocks loyalty despite swirling worries. What tactics succeeded at boosting team morale and preventing burnout spikes within your company amidst current volatility?

7 Lessons on Sustaining Passion and Purpose at Work 🔥 One of my favorite industries to study passion in is healthcare. Few other fields put human care and impact so visibly at the center of daily work. Healthcare professionals literally see the difference they make every day in their patients’ lives. That direct connection to impact is inspiring—and, honestly, something I often find myself craving in my own work as a researcher. But healthcare is, unfortunately, also one of the clearest examples of the downsides of passion. The same deep sense of purpose that draws so many into the field can, over time, make them vulnerable to burnout, exploitation, and disillusionment. --- Passion, if not sustained wisely, can fade, or even become destructive. --- I’m often asked: What strategies can help people maintain their motivation, passion, and sense of purpose over the long term? Based on my own and others’ research, here are a few key practices worth highlighting: 🌟 1) Anchor to Impact Regularly reflect on the people who benefit from your work. Patient stories or outcomes reinforce why the work matters and help renew motivation. [1] 🤝 2) Rely on the Team Supportive peers, mentors, and healthy team cultures buffer stress and prevent isolation. Passion spreads best in environments where energy is shared, not forced. [2] 📚 3) Keep Growing Continuous learning through new skills, challenges, or projects fuels progress and sustains engagement over time. [3] 🧭 4) Know Your Coping Style When facing setbacks, those who view their work as a calling may channel “hot” pain into renewed passion, while others—who see their work more as a job—recharge best by stepping away and finding distraction outside of work. Knowing which camp you fall into helps you cope more effectively. [ongoing research] ⚖️ 5) Manage Passion’s Costs A surge of passion can feel energizing and effortless, but it often leads to exhaustion the next day. Always remember that passion can make you overconfident. [4] Self-regulation practices help balance the highs and lows. [5] 🔥 6) Moderate Passion Don’t try to maximize passion—try to sustain it. Too much passion can hurt performance and increase burnout risk. The goal is a steady flame, not constant fireworks. [ongoing research] 🌙 7) Detach to Recharge Two decades of research show that psychological detachment from work—“switching off”—is one of the healthiest things you can do after hours. [6] Create rituals that help you mentally leave work behind. Even your commute, often seen as a nuisance, can actually serve this purpose. [7]

With everything going on, are you struggling to lead right now? If you're paying attention to the news, it seems like every day brings unexpected, and often unwelcome, changes. In this environment, it is natural to feel angst, worry, frustration, and doubt. And when we’re feeling uncertain and overwhelmed ourselves, it can be especially challenging to lead a team that is likely feeling the same way. During times of major change and disruption, the job of a leader becomes even harder - and even more critical. Your team needs you more than ever to guide and support them, while at the same time you have to manage your own wellbeing more effectively. In my work teaching resilience and leadership skills, the question I am asked the most is “How do I successfully navigate changes that are out of my control?” Based on research from #PositivePsychology, here are four things you can do to build confidence and shepherd your team through challenging moments: 1️⃣ Acknowledge difficulty All change, even good change, comes with loss. By sharing that you’re struggling, you show strength and build trust with your team. You also create the space for others to talk about what’s going on with them, which means you’ll be able to address issues sooner and more effectively. 2️⃣ Focus on what’s in your control Ruminating on negative events that you can’t influence doesn’t help. Help your team, and yourself, by turning your attention to things that you can actually impact. 3️⃣ Take small steps Sometimes challenges are so big that they feel overwhelming and we respond by doing nothing. Taking action, even in small ways, helps move us forward productively and build confidence that we will make it through. 4️⃣ Lean into your relationships We’re stronger when we look out for our teams and offer our unique strengths to the group. Reach out to each member of your team to check in and make a plan to give - and get - support. What else are you doing to get through these challenging times?

Research consistently shows that sustainable personal transformation happens through internal motivation. Don't believe it? Take a look: ✅ 52% higher goal achievement rates for intrinsically motivated individuals (Journal of Personality Research, 2023) ✅ 3.4x greater persistence when change is self-initiated (American Psychological Association, 2022) ✅ 76% greater likelihood of maintaining changes after 6 months with autonomous motivation (Behavioral Science Group, 2024) These are the five essential components I use with my clients that you can use right now to kickstart your motivation : 1.) Design your accountability structure: Establish personalized check-in systems matching your motivation style. People with accountability partners are 65% more likely to complete goals (American Society of Training and Development). 2.) Craft your discomfort protocol: Develop systematic exposure to productive challenge zones. Stanford research on "deliberate practice" shows this approach significantly accelerates resilience. 3.) Develop your motivation maintenance: Determine which reinforcement techniques sustain your drive. University of Pennsylvania research shows "implementation intentions" increase follow-through by 91%. 4.) Create your environment optimization: Design spaces to eliminate friction for desired behaviors. Duke University studies demonstrate environment design can be twice as effective as willpower alone. 5.) Formulate your identity reinforcement: Select practices that strengthen your self-concept as someone who follows through. Identity-based habits form more permanently than outcome-based habits (European Journal of Social Psychology). Follow this framework to systematically build the version of yourself that refuses to tolerate what's holding you back. You got this. Coaching can help; let's chat. #executivecoaching #mindset #motivation

Ever felt like the Greek mythology character Sisyphus, tirelessly pushing a boulder uphill, only for it to roll back down again? Such is the tug-of-war of self-motivation. Our innate tendency to resist persistent effort battles against our aspirations, seemingly unaffected by caffeine boosts or motivational quotes. Yet, the art of self-drive separates the high-achievers from the crowd. While motivation is a personalized puzzle, two decades of research unveil universal strategies to push past procrastination and reach your goals. Here are four main tactics. 1. Design Goals, Not Chores: Specificity is power! Aim for tangible targets rather than vague aspirations. Intrinsic motivation often surpasses extrinsic rewards. An Example: Instead of aiming to “improve sales,” set a target of “increasing sales by 10% in the next quarter” with a clear plan of action. 2. Find Effective Rewards: Rewards should encourage growth and productivity. Embrace the thrill of uncertainty. An Example: After securing a significant deal or finishing a big project, allow yourself an afternoon off or a leisurely lunch outside. Avoid rewards that might disrupt your productivity, like procrastinating on another project. 3. Sustain Progress: Divide your projects into manageable milestones. Celebrate those milestones but keep the end goal in sight. An Example: If you're working on a year-long project, set monthly targets. Celebrate when each is achieved, but as you near the end, keep your team's focus on the final product. 4. Harness the Influence of Others: Draw inspiration from efficient coworkers. Guiding and mentoring others can also reinforce your own goals. An Example: If you’re trying to improve punctuality in meetings, team up with a colleague who's always on time. Or, offer to mentor a junior colleague, reinforcing your own best practices in the process. Motivation in the workplace (and in life!) is a journey, not a destination. By adopting these strategies and maintaining a mindset of growth and adaptability, you can transform how you work. And you can also transform how you feel about your work. #Motivation #Mastery #Workplace #Learning #Growth #Productivity #Goals #Procrastination #SelfManagement #Talent

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗧𝗼 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝘐𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺—𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘦𝘥? Here’s the surprising truth: when managed well, stress can actually make you stronger and more resilient. In today’s fast-paced, uncertain world, leaders and employees alike face mounting pressures. One key question often arises: "𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴?" When stress goes unchecked, it can impact our ability to: • Build trust and relationships • Make clear and effective decisions • Stay energized and engaged But there’s hope. By making intentional changes, you can guard against burnout and thrive—even in tough times. Here are 𝟰 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 to help you maintain both wellbeing and motivation: 1️⃣ Embrace a Healthy Stress Mindset Research shows that how you view stress matters more than the stress itself. Instead of seeing stress as a threat, view it as a challenge that helps you grow and adapt. 𝗣𝗿𝗼 𝗧𝗶𝗽: Watch Kelly McGonigal’s TED Talk, How To Make Stress Your Friend, to learn how mindset shifts transform stress into strength. 2️⃣ Prioritize Rest and Recharge The best investment in productivity is rest. Build a routine that prioritizes: • Regular exercise • 7–8 hours of sleep • Healthy nutrition • Frequent micro-breaks during the workday When you recharge consistently, you’ll have the energy to perform at your peak. 3️⃣ Strengthen Social Connections Resilience flourishes in teams that are deeply connected. Foster relationships by: • Celebrating small wins • Practicing gratitude • Encouraging collaboration • Checking in on colleagues’ wellbeing Remember: meaningful connections help reduce stress and build a culture of mutual support. 4️⃣ Master Emotional Awareness Recognizing and naming your emotions is a powerful stress management tool. Take a moment to reflect: 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘮 𝘐 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸? Identifying emotions reduces their intensity and clears the way for solutions and progress. • - - - How do you maintain motivation and protect your wellbeing in challenging times? Share your tips in the COMMENTS below. ⤵️ Want to dive deeper? Check out my LinkedIn newsletter article: Leaders Must First “Fill Their Cups” Before They Can Pour Into Others https://lnkd.in/eyR9VWJg • - - - If this resonates, please 👍, comment, or share it with your network! • - - - #LeadershipDevelopment #EmployeeWellbeing #StressManagement