Self-motivation for the leaders is of paramount of importance because as leaders they should be self-motivated first before motivating their team members. Self-motivated leaders contribute to the realization of the organizational vision by providing strategic direction and motivation to the teams.

Importance of Self Motivation for the Leaders

1. Effect of Self Motivation on Personal and Team Productivity: Lack of self-motivation, not only hampers the personal productivity but it equally affects the productivity of all the team members. A zealous and passionate leader will create an environment of excitement and motivate the team members for delivering their best.

2. Level of Confidence: Leaders derive pleasure in the completion of complex and challenging long-term pending projects with success, which will eventually act as a natural confidence booster for the leader.

3. Self-Motivation helps in Reducing Stress: In the absence of self-motivation, leaders may experience an accentuated level of stress which may lead to adverse thinking, self-criticism and criticism of others for not being able to deliver the required deliverables.

4. Living without any regrets: Enhanced self-motivation helps in continuous improvement of a leader and controlling self-regrets. By way of self-evaluation, leaders can assess their strengths and weaknesses; identify the possible areas of opportunities and deal with the challenges at work with fresh zeal and vigour.

5. Career Advancement Opportunities: Career advancement can be considered as the outcome of self-motivation. Self-motivated leaders are in a better position to meet their goals successfully, climb the ladders of success and progress professionally by attaining newer heights.

Apart from the above-described factors, leaders who are highly self-motivated enjoy the following benefits:

• It helps the leaders in defining clear goals and also in finding out ways for attaining those goals more consistently.

• Self-motivated leaders motivate others to adopt their style of leadership and in dealing with the day to day responsibilities.

• Leaders who are self-motivated evolve and improve continuously, as they attain new heights of motivation after every achievement.

How to Improve the Self-Motivation Level of a Leader

Physical Fitness: Leaders, who mainly follow a disciplined and a strict health regime for staying fit physically and mentally, are expected to have an enhanced level of self-motivation.

Networking: A leader’s self-motivation level will improve if they are surrounded by a motivated company or a group of people. By attending seminars, conferences or various workshops, leaders can become self-motivated and recharged.

Getting back to the Basics: Leaders who have a high sense of self-motivation are focused in their approach and follow a disciplined routine. They stick to certain good habits which they follow religiously and without fail. Whether, it’s a habit of reading motivational books or an inspiring content, following a disciplined lifestyle or any other right habit, they perform them on a regular basis.

Remaining Focused: Self-motivated leaders are sure about their strategies and how they plan to achieve their goals. They can visualize the big picture along with the challenges ahead.

Be Accountable: By developing a high sense of accountability, leaders become self-motivated to complete the assignments within the stipulated deadlines and resources.

Have Fun: Self-motivated leaders derive pleasure and look for ways to have fun and enjoy working.

Various Impediments that affect the Self-Motivation of Leaders

Bad Habits: For meeting the desired outcomes, leaders should be able to assess those factors which hold them from reaching their desired goals and be able to work towards getting rid of such habits by replacing them with positive or productive habits.

Lack of Proper Resources: In the absence of availability of proper or optimal resources, leaders fail to meet the desired goals. They may have issues related to the shortage of funds, lack of training or availability of the required skilled personnel, technological limitations or management upsurges.

Effective leaders should not stop at that; instead, they should explore or find out ways to acquire them by indulging in brainstorming discussions, setting clear priorities and preferences, obtaining the needed resources one at a time instead of everything by breaking down the goals into small achievable options. It will help them to achieve cost advantages and in overcoming the stress which they undergo due to the pressures of pending assignment and non-achievement of the desired results.

Lack of Desire: Leaders should try to indulge in those activities which they enjoy performing, instead of sticking to those practices which sucks their time and energy, but then they derive no pleasure from doing it.

External Pressures or Circumstances: External pressures or circumstances thwart the self-motivation level of the leaders which could be because of the failure in meeting the expectations of others and failure in getting the desired support or cooperation from others for achieving the desired goals.

Thus we can conclude that self-motivation for a leader is an essential pre-requisite and those who have a high sense of self-motivation are in a better position to achieve the strategic outcomes and propel organizational growth and productivity.

Self-motivated leaders stimulate a sense of passion or excitement amongst the team members to achieve challenging goals, improve the existing systems and processes by championing excellent change initiatives with the support of others and manage resources optimally. They play a crucial role in driving organizational excellence by setting up examples before the team, monitoring progress periodically and plugging in the loopholes with proactive remedies or solutions.

Many factors thwart the self-motivation of leaders which may range from personal factors like bad habits to environmental factors or circumstantial factors. Leaders lose the required motivation due to the lack of availability of the needed resources such as technology, skills, finances or human resources.

Efficient and highly motivated leaders are charged up to perform better and overcome all the challenges by exploring ways or alternatives to meet the desired results, defining and implementing powerful strategies and by establishing the processes in place.