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So let’s dive right in! Want to motivate others? It starts with your mindset. 

Motivating Your Team Starts with You!

Do you genuinely care about others? Do you look for ways to serve your team? Do you actively encourage others to move forward together?

Motivating others begins in your own heart whatever your role is on your team. Every leader and every team member plays a role! 

For me, as Managing Partner at Fishhook, encouraging our team is a top priority. I love our team, I value each person, and I pray for them and their family. It’s not always easy. I get discouraged. There isn’t always understanding or agreement.

Yet I (we) aim for empathy, aim for trusting relationships, and aim for growth and progress together.

Even as you continue reading this article, consider your mindset. Then, consider how you can make progress in the following four areas to care for and encourage your team. We are continually striving to grow in these areas at Fishhook as well.

1 - Alignment with Mission and Values

At Fishhook, everything starts with our mission, vision and values as a company. We serve and support churches and faith-based ministries to communicate in creative, compelling and consistent ways to reach, encourage and serve their congregations and communities.

This is significant work, and so any person who becomes a Fishhooker (what we lovingly call ourselves) is motivated by this mission.

We also really care about our internal and external values as a company. We strive to live these out each day as we live and work together, and we talk them up and celebrate them as a team.

• Here is a list of our internal values - what we promise to each other as a team.
• Here is a list of our external values - what we commit to as we partner with and serve our clients.

Questions for you and your team to consider: What is the mission and values that guide your team? How are your leaders living these out? How is the full team living these out? How are you celebrating?

2 - Interesting and Meaningful Work with Rest

This communications and marketing work is continually evolving. It is strategic, creative and intentional. (And often challenging and a lot to manage - you know how it goes!) It is stretching for us as individuals and as we collaborate together with our churches/ministries.

We strive to plan and manage our workloads ongoing so that each person is working their intended full-time or part-time hours. We encourage each person to lead or participate in projects that align with their strengths and interests, and provide opportunities for skill and professional development and taking on more leadership.

Questions for you and your team to consider: Does each person have a clear role and responsibilities that support the whole for your team? How is everyone being challenged and growing? Do they have the rest they need on a regular basis? 

3 - Positive Culture

Living out our values and building a culture of positivity, fun and encouragement is so important to us at Fishhook. We aim to foster a positive and supportive work environment where employees feel valued and respected.

Through intentional weekly team meetings, retreats, monthly one-on-one connection times between each Fishhooker and me, meals shared, snacks and music in the office and more—we work eagerly in the midst of lots of prayer, encouragement and what we love to call buffoonery!

Questions for you and your team to consider: What is working well to build a positive team culture? What could be better or improved? Where is more care, laughter or support needed? Who will be responsible for helping your team make progress in these areas?

4 - Fair, Growing Compensation and Benefits

As people continually invest with our team, we are continually striving to grow the pay and benefits we offer at Fishhook.

We believe that our pay and benefits will allow each person to have what they need to provide for themselves and their families.

Questions for you and your team to consider: What are you offering to your team with pay and benefits? Is it fair? Is it growing? How can you continue making progress each year with pay and/or benefits?

Make Continual Progress

Our Fishhook team is always striving to make progress in these four areas—all to encourage our team and bring glory to God through our work! We know you have the same aim!

What additional thoughts or questions do you have? Please reach out to us. We’d love to hear what you’re learning as you motivate your team.