- March 6, 2022
- Developing Leaders, Personal development, Team Development
"One bad apple spoils the whole basket"
5 tips from my experience to stay motivated in the long term!
It's amazing, the other moment I was struggling to get my very basic daily routine organized and now everything that was just new and complex is completely self-evident. And because it takes almost two weeks to cross the Atlantic even under racing conditions, the question quickly arises as to how one can stay motivated in the long term. Here are a few experiences and the resulting 5 tips on how you can succeed. – Even without sailing across an ocean.
What on earth am I doing here?
We rushed along, the plotter, a kind of navigation system for boats, still showed us in the middle of the Atlantic. Thousands of miles from the mainland after days of racing. There was nothing and nobody to be seen except the sea. – So far we have encountered one freighter, nothing else.
"Well. How often have you wondered what made you want to take part here and what you are actually doing here?” Gerwin asked the watch crew who were approaching in the dark of the night. I too was just climbing on deck, in a humid and cold oilskin, with a life jacket and harness attached, after about 4 hours of sleep and after a can of tuna for "breakfast". I started to think and really took the time to do some serious research in my memory. Have I ever had doubts?
"Well?" Gerwin asked, "How often?". We started looking at each other to see if anyone wanted to say something.
"Actually, not at all," I answered, "I was so excited for this crossing; I really wanted to do that. I haven't regretted my decision for a minute."
But at some point it's enough!
Even back in Vienna, I was asked again and again if there were moments when I just wanted to stopp/quite/get out of there. But no, there wasn't. Why? Here are my 5 tips how I succeeded and you can too:
- Love it - or leave it! You only do well what you really enjoy doing!
- Let negative thoughts go in your head and actively look for positive ones!
- Consciously enjoy beautiful moments!
- Surround yourself with people who radiate positive energy!
- Make sure you have enough time for yourself to recharge your batteries!
It's incredibly hot below deck
All nice words and principles, but does it work? Not always. And that is also part of it. For example I caught myself grumbling one day about how hot and stuffy it was below deck. A team member responded to my displeasure by saying, "Have you spotted the fans yet? – I think they help a lot!” – I felt caught. Instead of staying positive, looking for a fix, I had started to complain. The almost elated positive reaction showed me immediately that it was up to me that others didn't see these circumstances as a burden, that I was able to provide help myself and, above all, that this really wasn't a big problem. From now on I resolved to banish such thoughts immediately. And to become a positive rock in the surf myself. What a nice experience - when it was all about grumbling at the beginning.
Gallery of positive vibes!
"One bad apple spoils the whole basket"
But what if there are no such positive team members?
What if you can't get rid of the negative thoughts?
Yes, then there is a risk that this first thought will become a bad apple that spoils the entire basket. Or negative feedback from colleagues can also be a "rotten apple".
As a manager, but also for myself, you have to be on your guard for such spoiled "fruit". Destructive forces can corrupt you and your entire team. So here are my tips on how to act as a manager:
- Immediately confront negative mood makers in a suitable setting
- Provide clear feedback and express your expectations
- Observe whether there is an improvement after initial feedback
- Proceed in a structured manner, strive for a performance improvement plan
- As a last resort initiate the separation
Enjoy and capture beautiful moments!
