How to Answer: What strategies do you use to motivate your team?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Manager job interview.
22. What strategies do you use to motivate your team?
What You Need to Know
There are a variety of ways that you, as a manager, can motivate your team. Discuss with the interviewer how you ensure your employees are consistently motivated.
Some ways that great managers will motivate their team:
- Encouraging the act of learning from mistakes vs. punishing mistakes
- Paying bonuses or offering increases attached to stretch goals
- Offering to pay for continued education or self-development opportunities
- Giving public kudos for a job well done
- Providing flexibility in work hours
- Avoiding micromanagement and allowing self-led exploration
Written by Ryan Brown on November 13th, 2020
Entry Level Example
"I like to be motivated by compensation rewards such as monthly or annual bonuses, so I think I will have contests with financial rewards available for my new team. Gift cards, discounts, free coffee, and the like - are often well received by employees and are motivating goals to reach."
Written by Rachelle Enns
Answer Example
"To motivate my team, I offer trust and autonomy as often as possible. When I show my team that I trust the work ethic presented, the team delivers better results than I ever imagined they would."
Written by Ryan Brown on November 13th, 2020
Experienced Example
"I use a variety of strategies to motivate my team, depending on their interests and personalities. My top methods of motivation include financial rewards, continued education opportunities, and opportunities for advancement. My highest performers often respond to all three methods."
Written by Rachelle Enns
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