Real Stories. Practical Lessons. Better Leadership.
The More Than Motivation blog is here for small business owners who’ve found themselves leading a team, and want to get it right. You’ll find practical tips, real-world strategies, and honest reflections to build confidence as a leader, motivate yourself and your team, and create a workplace where people (including you) can thrive.
From croft life to client stories (and the occasional Kung Fu Panda lesson), I share real experiences that bring leadership, motivation and wellbeing to life.
If you’re ready to grow your business without burning out, you’re in the right place.
Diagnosing Performance Issues
The Key to Unlocking Employee Potential and Enhancing Workplace Wellbeing In many fields, diagnosing issues has become a natural part of the job. Think of an IT technician identifying a network issue because your computer won’t connect. A teacher understands why a student struggles with a particular subject or a vet diagnosing what’s wrong with […]
The Power of Expectations
4 Steps to Elevating Employee Performance through Positive Beliefs Expectations shape reality. This simple yet profound concept, rooted in Expectations Theory, has far-reaching implications for various aspects of life, from education to the workplace and even with our families. The expectations we hold for others can significantly influence their performance and growth. This article highlights the […]
Transform Your Workplace Wellbeing
The Power of Practicing Positive Regard and Genuineness Ever wondered what separates good leaders from great ones? Or how some people seem to effortlessly uplift those around them and get the very best out of their teams? Is it charisma? Intelligence? Experience? Support? While all of these qualities can certainly contribute to a good manager, […]
Nurturing Mental Wellness Through The Outdoors
Nature’s Remedy: How Outdoor Adventures Boost Wellbeing As Mental Health Awareness Week unfolds, I find myself reflecting deeply on the profound impact of my recent three-week break from business to deal with lambing on our croft. This experience has reaffirmed the remarkable healing power of nature and animals on our mental wellbeing. The Crofting […]
Cracking the Communication Code
Do you struggle with poor performance from an employee or team and feel like they just aren’t on the same page as you? How many times have you been frustrated because someone hasn’t done as you expected? Were you explicit with your instructions and expectations, or did you assume they would know exactly what to do? […]
The Key to Sustainable Wellbeing in the Workplace
How Employers Can Promote Healthy Habits Among Their Workforce Supporting your employees is key to wellbeing… or is it? In the dynamic landscape of leadership, we’ve witnessed a profound shift from the more traditional command-and-control model to a more compassionate and supportive approach that emphasises support and encouragement. The conventional perception of a […]
Give the gift of ‘belonging’ this Christmas
6 Reasons why the festive season can impact workplace wellbeing. For many of us, the festive season is the most wonderful time of the year – family gatherings, sparkly decorations and joyous celebrations (the parties and the delicious tubs of chocolate). In the workplace, it is often seen as an opportunity to boost team morale […]
How Employers Can Promote Healthy Habits Among Their Workforce
5 Steps to Boost Positive Workplace Wellbeing and Change Negative Behaviours It’s no secret that a happy and healthy workforce is a productive workforce. 13% more productive in fact, according to research by Oxford University. Pretty obvious when you consider we spend a third of our lives at work. With this, and countless other statistics promoting […]
Start the New Year on the right foot
7 steps to successful workplace wellbeing January’s “New Year’s resolution” season brings with it new beginnings and new possibilities. A chance to evaluate your situation and develop a plan to improve, whether it’s in your personal or work life – and more often than not the constant challenge of balancing the two. It’s also the […]
Why invest in employee wellbeing?
How NOT investing in your staff’s wellbeing could be costing your business There’s no way to sugar-coat it. Job dissatisfaction is at a staggering all-time high, and with over 822,000 people in the UK suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2020/21 (according to the HSE’s stats) it’s no wonder that employees are not only re-evaluating their […]
Changing the way we manage change
How managing change effectively can have a positive impact on workplace wellbeing When we think about change, it is often in terms of the external environment and how that affects our organisation – new technology, changes in legislation, economic recession other such factors. However, also considering internal change and how that affects our employees, their […]
The impact of unclear responsibilities and expectations on people
Why clear workplace roles are responsible for good employee wellbeing and improved efficiency. Many employees wear more hats than can be seen at a royal wedding, carrying out several different duties, often many of them outside their initial job description. This can cause unnecessary confusion and lead to frustration, as well as negatively impact employee […]
Building positive work relationships
How working on relationships takes the stress out of workplace wellbeing I have previously discussed the first three root causes of stress in the workplace and the elements that need managing effectively to promote a healthy wellbeing culture; Demands, Control and Support. This article it’s all about Relationships, and how employers can shift their focus to nurturing relationships in the workplace to […]
Supporting employees to boost workplace wellbeing
How employers can support their staff to ensure a thriving working environment In 1624, John Donne famously penned “No man is an island”. Almost 400 years, and a global pandemic later, his words ring truer than ever: whether it’s in the home, classroom or at work, we all need support every now and again. Encouraging people […]
Surrendering control to fight poor performance
How empowering your workforce encourages autonomy and wellbeing In a previous article, we considered the first of 6 key areas of work that need to be managed well to promote health and wellbeing in the workplace – Demands and the Importance of Managing the Demands on Employees. In this piece, I want to focus on the second area – Control, and […]
What Kung Fu Panda Can Teach Small Business Owners About Leadership
When my son was recently laid up with a cold, we reached for comfort — and in our house, that means revisiting old favourites. This time, it was Kung Fu Panda, a DVD we hadn’t dusted off in years. I expected dumpling jokes and nostalgia. I didn’t expect a full-blown masterclass in leadership and the […]