The Product Managers who go on to be Product Leaders are the ones who can inspire greatness from their people.
Are you one of them?
As a PM, your success depends on your team.
You know you can’t achieve great things alone. You need a motivated, aligned group of “missionaries” that delivers, especially in tough times.
Challenges are inevitable.
Sometimes you need your team to put in some late nights. Or work really hard for months towards a goal.
How you lead them through these moments shapes your career.
But don’t worry.
In this article, I will show you a simple proven method you can use. 3 easy steps to build highly-motivated teams and become a respected Product Leader.
Why Most PMs Fail To Motivate Their Teams
Motivating your team is challenging.
Most PMs focus on extrinsic motivation to encourage their teams. This type of motivation relies on external rewards rather than inherent satisfaction. Rewards like titles, roles, or compensation.
But extrinsic motivation is the wrong approach, for two reasons.
First – PMs don’t have direct authority. Team members usually report to design and engineering managers. So driving teams with extrinsic motivators is difficult, if not impossible, for PMs.
Second, there is a much more powerful motivator: intrinsic motivation.
The drive that comes from within oneself, rather than from external rewards or pressures.
If you’re doubting this approach, remember:
The only thing more powerful than someone who has to do something is someone who wants to.
My 3 step approach teaches you how to significantly boost your team’s intrinsic motivation.
3 Powerful Ways to Build a Team That “Wants To”, Not “Has To”
At Google, I led cross-functional teams of over 300 people.
While it was challenging to constantly motivate everyone to excel, I found a way that helped me boost team engagement and, most importantly, intrinsic motivation.
It’s a simple method that I will share with you below. It only requires 3 steps:
- Inspire them
- Remind them
- Thank them
Inspire Them
Why?
People are motivated by purpose. This fuels their resilience and gives them a reason to keep going.
As a PM, it’s your job to help your team understand the bigger picture and your product’s positive impact on the world.
How?
First, define your noble mission. Every product has one! If you’re in B2B, reflect on who your customers’ products serve.
For example, when I worked on Facebook Ads, my noble mission was to keep the Internet free by making online advertising a viable revenue source.
Second, remind your team of this mission to reignite their passion and commitment. Do it at every chance you get: team meetings, All Hands, 1:1s.
Remind Them
Why?
Sure, people work for a salary. But that is an extrinsic motivator.
Beyond that, people want to feel their work matters and makes a difference. That it is aligned with their values and sense of purpose.
A Harvard Business Review study shows that 9 out of 10 employees are willing to trade a pay cut for more meaningful work.
As a PM, you must remind your team often of the value of their contribution.
How?
First, you must believe each one of your team members has a meaningful role. Believe me, they do, otherwise, their role wouldn’t exist.
Then, remind them of it often.
When I worked on Google Messaging, we had a team focused on expression. They were responsible for aspects of communication such as stickers and emojis. In the beginning, the team felt their work was secondary to the main app. They felt like a “nice-to-have”.
But over time, in our discussions, I’d repeatedly remind them how more and more communication happens online. As a result, we lose the nuance we have when talking to someone in person. Their role was to restore nuance and richness in this ever-growing mode of communication. As a consequence, they’d be helping bring people closer together.
This new perspective transformed the team. They went from undervaluing their work to becoming highly-motivated to fulfill the mission.
Thank Them
Why?
Expressing gratitude and appreciation for someone’s work goes a long way. It boosts motivation, team cohesion, and alignment.
Think about it – how did you feel the last time someone thanked you for your contributions?
How?
If someone in your team accomplished something significant, thank them publicly.
Email their manager, detailing the accomplishment’s significance and the team member’s crucial role. CC the team member and your manager.
This values the team member, elicits pride from their manager, elevates project interest, and boosts visibility among peers.
Repeat this whenever you see fit.
Final Thoughts
Motivating your team doesn’t have to be hard.
Leading without authority is an opportunity. A chance to boost your team’s intrinsic motivation. A way to truly engage your team with your noble mission.
Take the first step, Inspire, and put it into practice with your team.
A while later, ask for feedback to assess if it had an impact.
If so, follow the other steps in this guide. Then, repeat the whole process often, with different team members.
Over time, you’ll have a highly motivated and engaged team!
