Mistakes to Avoid So as Not to Demotivate Your Teams

Management & LeadershipTeamwork & CooperationManagers≈ 20 min

Key skill: Motivation & recognition

Summary

If you don't know how to motivate, you can at least stop demotivating. This module targets three managerial mistakes — treating team members as tools, children, or incompetents — and offers an adult-to-adult relationship instead: meaning, listening, responsibility.

Target audience

Any manager looking to promote a model of collaboration that inspires boldness, agility, and accountability.

Learning objectives

Avoid treating your team members like wrenches, children, or fools — attitudes that are highly demotivating for teams.
Treat your team members with humanity and genuine interest in their diversity and uniqueness.
Recognise the drivers of demotivation and know how to respond to signs of "waning motivation".
Cultivate respect and empathy to prevent demotivation: run a team workshop on mutual respect.

Module outline

StorytellingA fresh perspective on workplace motivation inspired by the book Dix Liberté by S. Boëthius and R. Marchand
ArticlesBCG study on bureaucracy and disengagement · What to do when you feel demotivated
Expert videoThe three managerial attitudes to avoid: don't treat your team members like wrenches, children, or fools
AnchoringQuiz and True/False questions to dive deeper into the topic and cement what you've learned
Memo cardDownloadable coaching memo card: the key points from the expert video
CommitmentConcrete examples to help you define your own commitment
BonusA selection of videos to go further (TED, YouTube)

Models & methods

Three attitudes to avoid: wrenches, children, fools; an adult-to-adult relationship rather than parent-child.

Research-based

Boston Consulting Group (BCG) study on bureaucracy and disengagement; the book "Dix Liberté" by S. Boëthius and R. Marchand.