Can I Really Motivate My Team?
I’m not building the next iPhone. I’m not leading a freedom movement.
I don’t have Steve Jobs’s charisma or Gandhi’s moral authority.
I’m just a mid-level manager in a regular organization, working with a team that handles tasks that are… well, pretty routine. Important—but not glamorous. Necessary—but often invisible.
So, can I motivate someone?
When I Have No Real Power…
I don’t control promotions. I don’t decide bonuses. I can’t promise fast-track careers or dream projects.
All I have is a shared backlog, some recurring standups, and a team of people who are intelligent, capable, and sometimes—understandably—disconnected from the larger picture.
So what can I do?
What Does Motivation Look Like Here?
Is motivation even the right word? Do my team members really need to be motivated, or do they just need clarity, context, and respect?
Is it about reminding them that what they do matters—even when no one’s watching? Can I help them see how their work fits into the bigger picture, even if that picture isn’t revolutionary?
Can I make space for autonomy, even in a tight process?
Is It in the Small Things?
Does motivation come from the way I run meetings—respecting time, acknowledging effort, staying human?
- From noticing progress that others miss?
- From saying, “Take your time” instead of “Hurry up”?
- From defending their bandwidth in meetings where no one else will?
- From caring about their goals, even if they’re not directly reporting to me?
What If It’s Not About Inspiration at All?
Maybe I don’t need to be inspiring. Maybe I just need to be consistent. Maybe I need to be someone they can trust, even if I can’t promise anything.
Could that be enough?
Could it be that people don’t need grand speeches or big dreams to stay motivated, but just a sense that someone has their back?
Does someone see them, even in the mundane?
Still Searching
I don’t have all the answers.
But I keep asking myself:
- Can I create a space where people feel seen?
- Can I help them find meaning even in tasks that don’t feel meaningful at first glance?
- Can I lead without being pushy, without pressure, and care without control?
I think about the people I’ve worked with—managers somehow made me want to do better. They never motivated me with fireworks. They just made it safe to grow. Maybe that’s what authentic leadership is.
Maybe I’ll never give a speech like MLK or lead a movement like Gandhi.
But in the quiet moments—in check-ins, in feedback, in how I show up every day—maybe I’m still part of something larger than myself.
I’m still figuring it out.
But maybe the question isn’t “Can I motivate my team?”
Maybe the better one is: “Can I be the kind of person they want to follow—even when no one’s watching?”
Disclaimer
I used AI to help shape the structure and wording of this post—just to make it read smoother. But all the thoughts, experiences, and ideas here are completely my own. Think of AI as a writing buddy, not the author. The goal was to stay true to my voice while making the message clearer and easier to follow.