Motivating a New Team: Challenges & Solutions

[kayleigh]

I am a fairly new Team leader and I have three members on my team. I do a weekly check-in on them to make sure they dont have any questions but this week when I called I again asked about their April calendar. Both have given me excuses that they have too much going on or they have asked "everybody". I have thrown out ideas on what to ask and who to ask, but I give an idea on how to get bookings or sales and I hear an excuse back. I do remember what it is like to be a new consultant, but I also know parties just do not fall out of the sky into our laps, we have to work for them. How do you keep your team members motivated? What do you do or say when they seem to have all the answers?

 

[pampchefsarah]

Have your own booking challenge. It's best if you can all meet someplace quiet (my Director lets us use her church), so you can encourage each other, and make calls with no distractions. Offer a prize to whoever gets at least 2 new shows booked. Make it small and affordable, doesn't even have to be PC - just something to dangle in front of them. If you can't meet together, then set a deadline, and whoever gets the most bookings by that time gets the prize.Also, ask open ended questions about what they are expecting from their business, and how to achieve those goals. Then, set up accountability meetings. You say you call weekly to answer questions, but are you asking questions? "How many calls did you make this week?" "Are you making 3 contacts a day?" Your tone of voice is very important here - not critical, but challenging them so they want to be able to answer YES, and start looking forward to that call. Even if they made only one contact all week, still praise them for stepping out of their comfort zone.

 

[kayleigh]

That is a great idea. I know we can not all meet at one place (one is out of state). I have thought about doing this before but just didnt know how to approach them. Thanks.....

 

[babywings76]

I'd offer some sort of motivation and incentive. It's their business and maybe they are not feeling the excitement to work it right now. I know when my director asks me about how my bookings are, I feel like I did when my mom asked me if my homework was finished. I don't like feeling like someone is putting expectations on me. I do however, get extremely motivated by "carrots". When there is some incentive or some great training or motivation given, it helps me get back on track.

 

[kayleigh]

True! I can see that! I never thought of it that way? But when you say dangle a carrot in front of them what do you think would be some good items? I have never done this before?

 

[babywings76]

Hmm, good question. I'm not a director or anything, so I don't have experience with what types of extra things like this seem to work well for their team members.HO gives great incentives, so first I'd make sure that they are aware of all the specials and incentives. You don't necessarily need to be the one giving the "carrot". Here's a couple times where my director did some "extra" kind of thing. She e-mailed everyone a picture of a PC necklace that we could earn by attending 10 cluster meetings that year. She awarded us with them at our Christmas party. She gave away new products to us when we attended our "Spring Launch". As we registered, we e-mailed her and then she let us one by one choose our pick of the products she had reserved for this incentive. She's done other prize drawing type things for new products. So those are examples of things she gave away, but they were rewards for attending training events. She hasn't given us anything for regularly scheduling things or doing booking blitzes. And I don't think she needs to, really, since PC is so generous.I'd just try to stay upbeat and positive and encouraging. Let them know that you are there to help them. Do they need any new ideas on things to do or say to get some bookings? Maybe give them a gift of a membership to this forum or at least just recommend it to them. Maybe they'll get some inspiration and additional training by learning what others are doing when they feel "stuck".

 

[kayleigh]

I guess I feel like I am at a lost for words. The one member on my team is pregnant, and not due until September, she and I talk on about a weekly basis. I asked her about April and she said that she had one show on the calendar that she was getting stressed out (they were buying a home too). Which I said ok, she also has a lady who is interested in the oppurtunity so I explained to her that I was here to help her with that but she wont let me help her. (And she wonders why she is stressed out, hello!) Being new to Pampered Chef is alot anyways, being pregnant and buying a house and adding a new member to your team is stressful but at least let me help her. She said she didnt want to book anymore shows because she needed to be there for this recruit. I tried to explain to her that she still needed shows because what good was she to her if she was inactive? Making a joke out of it....

The other lives in Virgina, she said she is so busy with her son's t-ball that she didnt have time for anything really. We brainstormed ideas, I brought up the fact that she was around all those moms and with the trifle bowl on sale in April that would be some sales. She immediately came back with: "I already asked them and they didnt want to spend the money". So I brainstormed some other ideas and as soon as I came up with those I got a negative response in return.... I dont know what else to say if you know what I mean!

 

[Jolie_Paradoxe]

How about...

What do YOU think is the problem?
What would YOU suggest to your recruit facing the same dilemma?
How would YOU resolve it?
What COULD you do?

Allow them to come up with some of the solutions...gets them involved, engaged and helps make them a bit more self sufficient.