6. Expressive — Expressive people prefer things to be in the open. Try having a group discussion about their role, but make sure they have an opportunity to have their voice heard.

7. Peacekeepers — It’s difficult to motivate an idealistic person, and that’s often what peacekeepers are. Most of the time, they will simply hope things go well rather than take action. Let them know when it’s okay to get fired, but also take the time to compliment their ability to keep a cool head.

8. Hard-Drivers — These people think very independently, and are most motivated when they agree with your goals and methods. If they don’t see the value in what you want them to do, they won’t be nearly as effective. Hard-drivers work best when they get immediate recognition for their accomplishments.

9. Focused — People who are very focused see the end goal more than the process. They’ll want to know what the reward will be up front, because it will be what pushes through the work it will take to get there.

10. Flexible — These are the easiest people to motivate, because they tend to go with the flow– that is, as long as the work doesn’t do against their own values or beliefs. Flexible people are more likely to be happy with anything.

Need more motivation? Check out my new book, Opportunity Rocks!

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But not everybody gets motivated the same way. One of the challenges of being a leader is figuring out how to motivate different kinds of people based on their personality and needs. Here are ten ways to motivate ten types of people:

1. Analytical — As you could probably guess, analytical people think very hard about things and look at the details. They need to be reminded of the specific reasons why their contribution is important, and expect to be rewarded accordingly.

2. Structural — These people thrive on organization and, well, structure. A structural thinker can’t get behind a leader who can’t get their thoughts and goals together. Timeliness and clarity is key.

3. Social — Social people need to feel like they’re valued for who they are, not just the work they do. Let them know that you enjoy having them around– work aside.

4. Innovative — In order for innovative people to thrive, they need an outlet for their creativity and a role that encourages out-of-the-box thinking. Still, they focus on the larger goal and need to know that they’re adding to the big picture.

5. Quiet — No matter how quiet someone is, they’re always willing to open up if you talk to them one on one. It’s important to notice these people and make that extra effort.

Check back next week for numbers 6-10. For more leadership and motivation tips, find me on Facebook and Twitter! Rock on!

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But not everyone who sets goals does it effectively. Here are the three most common mistakes we make when setting goals– and it’s often just enough to undermine the progress we’re trying to make:

1. Making goals that are too specific — In general, goals need to be specific. If they’re too vague, we don’t know what steps to take to reach them. Also, it becomes difficult to determine whether we even reached them at all!

But goals that are too specific can be equally devastating. If we have tunnel vision about our goals, we can sometimes lose sight of why we set that goal. We often have to course-correct and adapt our goals as we go, and if they’re too specific, that can be hard to do.

2. Setting too many goals — The more goals we set at one time, the harder it gets to prioritize them. People are apt to choose the ones that will be easiest to achieve, and that’s not always the best option.

3. Creating an inappropriate timeframe — A lot of people have trouble knowing whether a goal should be short-term or long-term. If we don’t meet a deadline we set for ourself, we think we failed. But it’s often the case that we just made an unrealistic timeframe.

For more leadership and goal-setting tips, find me on Facebook and Twitter! Rock on!

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Think about some of the leaders who have affected your life. Do they have these qualities?

Benjamin Franklin had a crucial role in America’s development. Many Americans know more about Franklin than they do about most American presidents– and he was never even president! His inventions and scientific discoveries have changed the world in many ways. However, it was his ideologies, philosophies, intelligence, and charisma that made him a great leader. Here are some words of wisdom from Benjamin Franklin that we can all learn from:

“A house is not a home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body.”

“A learned blockhead is a greater blockhead than an ignorant one.”

“A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”

“A penny saved is a penny earned.”

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

“Do good to your friends to keep them, to your enemies to win them.”

“Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”

“I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.”

“The only thing more expensive than education is ignorance.”

It’s amazing how many of the things he said over 200 years ago still apply today.

What’s your favorite Benjamin Franklin quote? Let me know on Facebook and Twitter!

But is this mindset too simple for today’s world? It’s not rare that mistakes are the unfortunate consequences of decisions that were made with the right intention. Maybe something went wrong that was beyond the person’s control, but the thought driving it was right on. Should that person still be penalized?

In this short video, Seth Priebatsch of SCVNGR shares his thoughts on the matter:

This is a great system, because it rewards the way of thinking rather than the outcome. People should be encouraged to think creatively, and if the idea doesn’t work, that alone will be a lesson enough. It’s still a learning experience, but at least the positive thought behind it will be acknowledged.

Do you think these kinds of mistakes should be rewarded? Let me know on Facebook and Twitter! Rock on!!!

Does that seem a little unfair to you? It is unfair– but that’s the point.

Some people think that being a leader means you take all the glory for the victories, but that failures must be somebody else’s fault. You can still be a leader and have this mindset, but you’d be a terrible leader; not a good leader.

To be a good leader, you really do have to follow this advice. Even if a failure truly was someone else’s fault, you have to hold yourself accountable. Leaders have the responsibility of surrounding themselves with the right people, and also of keeping an eye on them. When something goes right, you have to share the credit with everybody, or else you go from leading them to taking advantage of them.

So the next time you find yourself in a position of great failure or success, remember this quote. Remind yourself that you didn’t become a leader so you could look good– you became a leader so you could make a difference in the lives of others.

For more rockin’ leadership tips, find me on Twitter and Facebook!

Did you know that I have a Pinterest account? I’m going to be pinning all the latest photos from my events, along with quotes from my new book, rockstar pics, and videos. Be sure to follow me for the latest updates!

And if you haven’t already, find me on Twitter and Facebook! Rock on!!!

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Thanks, and as always, ROCK ON!!!

Think back to some of the leaders you’ve had in your life, both good and bad. Did they teach, or did they just tell? The good ones probably took the time to show you how, and whether they knew it or not, they also followed these five rules:

1. Teach through repetition — People may remember something after you tell them once, but learning and remembering are two different things. True learning means you’ve internalized what you’ve heard– it becomes a natural part of your thought process. It takes hearing or doing something tons of times to get to this point.

2. Be consistent — Don’t send mixed messages– this creates confusion, and will eventually cause resentment towards the leader. A leader has to be someone that others can trust, and people who don’t play by their own rules or keep their stories straight can’t be easily trusted.

3. Be clear — You can’t lead if no one can understand what you say. Word things in a way that everyone can get, and avoid confusing jargon.

4. Have common sense — All this takes is forethought. If you’re leading by example (like you should be!), you want to show that you think about a situation and use common sense before dealing with it.

5. Be hands-on — Demonstrating how to do something is always better than explaining. As a leader, you have to be able to show that you can practice what you preach.

For more leadership tips, find me on Twitter and Facebook!

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