Motivational Quotes to Inspire Your Team

Motivational quotes to inspire your teamThe performance of a team of employees is directly affected by who is leading them and how they are being led. A good leader can elevate a team’s success while a poor leader will cut productivity off at the knees. Part of being a good leader is communicating directly with employees in a compelling manner. They should be encouraged to work with others and push themselves to new heights. The former First Lady of the United States, Rosalynn Carter, summed this up, “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.”

One of the most powerful ways of inspiring a team is through the use of others. Motivational quotes wonderfully sum up a thought or opinion in a way that sticks in the ears of the audience. In search of the strongest quotes, we connected with ten different business experts in order to discover their favorites.

Risk

Riley Burke is the Growth Marketing Manager of Ohza, a brand offering mouth-watering mimosas. She believes that a quote highlighting the possibility of being unsuccessful summarizes the importance of seizing opportunities.

“Mark Zuckerburg, the guy behind Facebook, framed failure uniquely. He said, ‘The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that changes really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.’ For me, this communicates that even if something feels daunting, I should pursue it because sitting still will not do anything for me. Obviously, business involves calculated risk so I shouldn’t dive headlong into something foolish. But, repeating the same stuff over and over again is insanity and no way to grow a company.”

Success

Looria offers a trusted place to find honest product reviews and information. Their Co-Founder, Tavis Lochhead, enjoys a quote that suggests success and failure go hand in hand.

“I’ve sometimes caught myself envisioning a path to success in all its glory without remembering that not everything will be rainbows and butterflies on that journey. Realistically, the path to success is more akin to a two steps forward, one step back scenario. One thing that helps me keep this in perspective are the words of Arianna Huffington, the CEO of Thrive, who said, ‘We need to accept that we won’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes, understanding that failure is not the opposite of success – it’s part of success.’”

Unity

A team is made up of a group of people. But just because people are teammates does not mean they have teamwork. A true leader will cultivate teamwork. Draft.dev is a business providing technical marketing content for software startups. Their CEO, Karl Hughes, considers a quote about elevating people to be a wonderful tool. 

“If you’re paying attention to the words of a man who revolutionized an industry and became unimaginably rich, I think you’re headed in the right direction. That’s why I so appreciate the words of Andrew Carngie because he spoke on the impact leadership has on those that report to him, ‘Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.’”

Good and great players

Michelle Arnau is the CEO of Rowan For Dogs, a brand offering coat-care products for dogs. She advises heeding the words of a former basketball star as they describe the team members who sacrifices for the greater good. 

“It’s really common to show up to work simply out of duty to a contract or in hopes of a promotion. While there’s nothing ethically wrong with this approach, it may not promote the best version of a company. The best employees are those who find unique ways to help others and achieve organizational success. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar used to play center for the Los Angeles Lakers and once outlined the difference in these two types of employees, ‘What separates the good players from a great player is that a great player is willing to give up their own personal achievement for the achievement of the group.’”

Paying attention

PixieLane specializes in high-quality, affordable, and fun clothing for kids. Their Founder, Lori Price, believes a quote from Dave Isay, a radio host, puts into words the importance of observing what others have to say. 

“I really appreciate Dave Isay because of the nuances he takes into consideration when dealing with people. He said, ‘I’ve learned about the poetry and the wisdom and the grace that can be found in the words of people all around us when we simply take the time to listen.’ Whether you’re in sales, accounting, customer relations, or leadership, taking into account what those around you are saying is vastly important. In many cases, the thoughts of others can change a scenario drastically. Doing so will promote problem solving and productivity.”

Lack of knowledge

Being uncertain of, or overwhelmed by, a decision because of an inadequate amount of information is a very natural response. However, it should be used as a springboard of inspiration. Becca’s Home is a business providing flexible furniture. Their CEO, Elliot Schwarcz, suggests this approach.

“The reality we live in is that we will never know everything. Once we accept that, we can begin to take measures which provide us with more information. I really believe this is one of the best approaches to the business world. Pioneers are those who seek something new to themselves or the world and in some cases, they have built kingdoms on the top of mountains. The founder of Spanx, Sara Blakely put this idea into words, ‘Don’t be intimidated by what you don’t know. That can be your greatest strength and ensure that you do things differently from everyone else.’” 

Hard work

Hector Gutierrez is the CEO of JOI, a brand offering reimagined plant based milk. He considers a line from a baseball player regarding continuous and concentrated effort to be a great way to reach employees. 

“The personal integrity that people hold and demonstrate is one of the best ways to understand what makes a person tick. The way in which people work is an example of this. I’ve found that when you can highlight this to your team, they are quick to respond with gusto. The best way to get this point across is a quote from Sam Ewing who played baseball in the seventies, ‘Hard work spotlights the character of people. Some turn up their sleeves. Some turn up their noses, and some don’t turn up at all.’”

Planning and belief

Foster Grant specializes in high-quality lenses. Their Chief Experience Officer, Fred Gerantabee, advises others to incorporate the words of motivational speaker Denis Waitley as they put the desire to complete objectives into perspective. 

“Having personal or professional goals is key to making strides forward in your life. Everyone should have them. That being said, with goals comes adequate planning and on top of this, you should trust that the goals you’ve set for yourself are possible. Without these two elements in play, success is not likely. I’ve always enjoyed the words of Denis Waitley when it comes to this, ‘The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable.’

Trust your instincts 

It is easy to let the thoughts from peers or coworkers influence personal thinking negatively. Letting outsiders have power over decision making can be harmful. La Blanca is a business providing chic women’s swimwear. Their VP of eCommerce, Karim Hachem, believes others should take notice of this. 

“With so many sources of opinions in our world, it’s really easy to not give enough attention and weight to what our conscience or body is trying to communicate with us. It’s fair to say that we know ourselves better than anyone and we should be quick to give massive credit to that. I think what Steve Jobs really hit home for me when he spoke about it, ‘Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.’”

Emotional intelligence

Bryan Alston is the Chief Marketing Officer of Greater Than, a brand offering super natural performance drinks. He suggests using the words of author Phillip Roth to promote a sense of maturity in the workplace. 

“Emotions are involved in everything we do and can play a large part in our behavior. There are times where our initial reactions may not result in the behavior that is best for us in the future. It’s really important to keep your wits about you when it comes to sorting through your emotions. I’m a fan of Philip Roth because I think he wrapped this up well, ‘You are greater than your feelings. I don’t demand this of you—life does. Otherwise, you’ll be washed away by feelings. You’ll be washed out to sea and never seen again.’

There are numerous possible angles to be taken when it comes to motivating a team. Using quotes can be an emphatic and memorable way of doing so. Presenting fresh ideas that lead to growth should be one of the goals of any leader. Author John Maxwell put it best, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”