Emotional versus Transactional
Simon Sinek writes incredibly inspirational books, and he is a wonderful source of insights.
If your team-members only have a transactional relationship with you and your firm, they are only going to do what is required to keep getting those paychecks.
If you can build an emotional investment, your people will go above and beyond to do amazing things. They will care about creating high-quality products that delight the client. They will have high-motivation and loyalty to you and your firm.
To get that emotional investment, you need to give them something worth that investment.
Build a team that lifts everyone up.
Be a high-integrity leader they can respect.
Create a product that helps people, and/or create a product that includes a really, really cool new innovation.
Create a “work hard, play hard” environment.
Reward people for their contributions fairly, and include a reward that resonates for them specifically.
Don’t tolerate morale-killers on your team. If someone is frequently complaining or venting, fire-hosing other team-members with blame for bad outcomes, underperforming, unreliable, or creating a negative or hostile work environment, address it immediately. Don’t let it fester and impact other team members.
Care, and show that you care in authentic and meaningful ways.
Guide them to the success and fulfillment that THEY want in their professional lives.
It takes time. But this investment of time and effort is worth it.