It isn’t easy being a leader. You’re expected to be courageous, a calculated risk-taker, a smart decision-maker, and a good communicator.
Not only do you need to drive business results, but you’re also responsible for ensuring that your employees are engaged and putting in their best work.
In short, you’re a role model for your employees so that they can follow in your footsteps.
The current crisis makes it all the more difficult for leaders now. They need all their skills to guide their tribe through the uncertainty and fear.
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced organizations to change the way they work, think, and engage with their people. With no prior preparation, everything has happened on the fly.
Strategies and policies are being swiftly altered to include the possibility of long-term or even permanent remote working conditions.
In these troubled times, we share 9 workplace motivation quotes from the finest minds in the world to keep your spirits up and your resolve firm.
1 Quote by Andy Grove, ex-CEO, Intel Corp.
The COVID-19 pandemic could easily qualify as the mother of all crises because it has been global in its reach and effect. Companies are scrambling to adapt to the new remote working situation.
Leaders are drawing on everything they possess to manage the crisis as best as they can.
Good leaders maintain calm and deliberate optimism to motivate their direct reports to follow suit.
They show empathy and demonstrate that they are human first.
They understand the challenges faced by team members in these difficult times and support them through it.
On the other hand, leaders who fail to improvise amid the uncertainty will find it difficult to survive.
Organizations unwilling to shift their mindset or unable to revise their plans will flounder.
Instead of overreacting to the situation, you need a balanced approach that considers both employee welfare and business continuity.
2 Quote by Kim Scott, author of Radical Candor & CEO, Candor Inc.
Nothing can be more applicable to this time of uncertainty than Scott’s workplace motivation quote about ‘caring personally.’
It is vital for you to be transparent and truthful with your direct reports.
This will reduce the emotional distress of your direct reports caused by the fear of the unknown.
The strength of the relationships that you have built with your team members is what will see you through tough times when you’re forced to trust each other in the absence of direct contact.
This is the time for leaders to stay calm, manage their own fears, and project a confident exterior.
3 Quote by Bill Campbell, CEO Coach
Although spoken in a different context, Campbell’s words ring very true for the current crisis.
People panic at such times and look at their leaders for guidance.
You must act quickly and communicate clearly and with empathy. With the breakdown of the usual channels of communication, rumors are likely to arise.
You’ll want to reach out to your direct reports to cut through the noise and arm them with essential, credible information.
Your employees are more than just workers, they are a reflection of your people management abilities.
A human-first approach, greater tolerance for errors, and a solution-focused mindset will hold you in good stead at this time.
4 Quote by Eric Schmidt, ex-CEO, Google
There are no set strategies for managers to follow when things fall apart suddenly as they have in the COVID-19 crisis.
To manage the storm, the traditional leadership qualities of decisiveness and communication are important.
What is equally important is the ability to listen and empathize with your people.
With old ways of working being chucked out the window, your direct reports may want to explore fresh approaches.
You’ll want to actively listen to their ideas, discuss the pros and cons, and offer support and guidance.
Don’t turn into a tyrant! Instead, show them you care and back them up.
5 Quote by Adam Grant, Professor, the Wharton School
It is natural for your direct reports to feel disengaged and demotivated in tough times.
Grant’s workplace motivation quote reminds you that your job to seek new ways to encourage and reassure them of their worth.
You’ll do well to remember that your direct reports are a reflection of your leadership. They look up to you and follow YOU.
Your most important job in the current crisis is to keep the morale of your direct reports high and remind them that they have the strength to get through it.
You can also help them see that this is the time to be proactive, to showcase talent, and learn new ways of doing things.
6 Quote by Ben Horowitz, co-founder, VC firm Andreessen Horowitz
As organizations adjust into new patterns of work, you and your direct reports may be exploring novel approaches to getting things done.
We’ve been launched into remote work without proper infrastructure or adequate training, so making a few mistakes is natural.
However, if you have a good rapport with your employees, you will be able to trust them to deliver per expectations.
You will not feel the urge to micromanage; you’ll want to give them enough autonomy to manage their work as they see fit.
In turn, your direct reports will feel comfortable enough to ask for help when they make a mistake instead of brushing things under the carpet.
This will save you and the organization a lot of trouble in the future.
7 Quote by John Eades, CEO, LearnLoft
Just like John Eades does in this workplace motivation quote, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of communication, especially during a crisis.
Your team members are scared about falling sick, uncertain about their jobs, and struggling to retain some semblance of work-life balance.
You’ll want to communicate clearly and frequently to reassure your direct reports, ease their worries, and help them focus on their work.
How do you communicate with your direct reports?
The pandemic has made physical, face-to-face contact out of bounds for now.
8 Quote by Steve Jobs, co-founder, Apple Inc.
It’s ironic that such a workplace motivation quote has come from an out-and-out technology guy.
But Jobs has understood the essence of leadership–you are only as good as your people.
Although organizations have to lean heavily on technological solutions to maintain business continuity in the COVID-19 crisis, the success of these approaches boils down to the people and their willingness to adopt it.
Your strong working relationship and excellent rapport with your direct reports will help you make the most of a tough situation.
Remind yourself and them of their inherent value. Involve them as far as possible in important decisions.
Then watch them rise and take accountability of their tasks and put in the best work of their lives.
9 Quote by Jeff Bezos, CEO, Amazon
Managers have to deal with ambiguity as part of their daily life. It’s practically built into their job profile.
However, a crisis that suddenly creeps up on you and refuses to go can be unnerving.
It can also be the opportunity you have always been seeking – to do something different, something new.
There are many downsides to the tough times that we’re facing now, but if you’re enterprising enough, there are also many doors opening.
In keeping with this workplace motivation quote by Jeff Bezos, encourage your direct reports to think “Why not?” and delve into new solutions and methods of work.
Quotes Tailored to Use at Workplace
Leadership
- “True leadership is about empowering others to achieve things they didn’t think possible.” – Simon Fletcher
- “Leadership is the art of motivating a group towards achieving a common goal.” – Anita Rivera
- “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John C. Maxwell
Teamwork
- “Teamwork is the secret that makes common people achieve uncommon results.” – Imani Jose
- “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” – Helen Keller
- “It’s not the team with the best players that win. It’s the players with the best team that wins.” – Nicole James
Productivity
- “Productivity isn’t about being a workhorse, keeping busy or burning the midnight oil… It’s more about priorities, planning, and fiercely protecting your time.” – Margarita Evans
- “Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.” – Alfred A. Montapert
- “Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort.” – Paul J. Meyer
Innovation and Creativity
- “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” – Steve Jobs
- “Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.” – Theodore Levitt
- “The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” – Edwin H. Land
Professional Growth
- “Commit yourself to lifelong learning. The most valuable asset you’ll ever have is your mind and what you put into it.” – Brian Tracy
- “Growth and comfort do not coexist.” – Ginni Rometty
- “Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” – Anthony J. D’Angelo
Workplace Culture
- “Culture is the framework in which we all work together to achieve common goals.” – Greg Anderson
- “Positive culture comes from being mindful, and respecting your coworkers, and being empathetic.” – Biz Stone
- “I truly believe the intention of creating a positive company culture is the foundation of any successful business.” – Patrick Lencioni
Communication
- “Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” – Jim Rohn
- “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Peter Drucker
- “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
Motivation
- “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun
- “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing—that’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar
- “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt
Success and Failure
- “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston S. Churchill
- “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy
- “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford
Change Management
- “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy
- “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.” – Peter Drucker
- “To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” – Winston Churchill
Entrepreneurship
- “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
- “Entrepreneurship is neither a science nor an art. It is a practice.” – Peter Drucker
- “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.” – Steve Jobs
Diversity and Inclusion
- “Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is making the mix work.” – Andres Tapia
- “We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter their color.” – Maya Angelou
- “Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth.” – Jesse Jackson
Customer Service
- “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” – Bill Gates
- “Make a customer, not a sale.” – Katherine Barchetti
In Conclusion
Be genuinely compassionate, conquer your own fears, connect and inspire–these will be the hallmarks of a true leader in this crisis.
We’ll leave you with something Albert Einstein said that should provide inspiration in these dynamic and uncertain times:
