Looking for the Key to Success? Hire Employees Who Can Manage Themselves

Any small business owner or entrepreneur knows the feeling of being there and growing a company from the beginning. You struggled through the tough times to get your company where it is today. But as your business grows, so do your hiring needs. You need a team of employees you can rely on when the challenges get tough. You already know how to bridge the gap between entrepreneur and boss, but how do you hire people who will be self-motivated and thrive in an entrepreneurial environment? We’ll tell you how.

First let’s look at what makes a self-motivated individual:

Someone who is self-motivated has internal drive and the ability to continue tasks and get work done without nagging or extra incentives. There is something in their personality or attitude that keeps them going without any external stimulus or threat.

So how do you find and keep these kinds of employees?

Offer and encourage opportunities for development

One of the best ways to keep your employees motivated is to provide opportunities for continuing development both in house and on their own time. Encourage your employees to sharpen their skills through webinars, lectures and professional-development events outside of work. Then, recognize their initiative to go above and beyond. Have them present their new knowledge during meetings so your entire team will benefit.

Take a hands-off approach

Sometimes the best way bring out self-sufficiency in your employees is to be unavailable to answer questions. This forces your employees to figure out problems on their own every once in a while. Although an open-communication policy is often best, giving your employees a little more freedom will teach them to get by without always needing a manager’s assistance.

Embrace feedback

Invite new hires and veteran employees alike to offer their constructive and positive feedback. They’ll appreciate being heard for starters, and you could also pick up some valuable insight along the way. After a new hire goes through the onboarding process, ask them for feedback pertaining to their experience. There’s no better way to improve a program than by asking someone who experienced it for their thoughts.

Self-motivated individuals are the kinds of top performers you don’t want to let go. Learn to manage these high-performing individuals and they won’t let you down.