Darya Oshurina
by Darya Oshurina
Darya Oshurina is a Senior Business Development & Marketing Manager. She specialises in brand strategy, positioning, team development, external and internal communications. Contact Darya.
Have you ever faced the situation where, one day out of the blue, a key specialist abruptly leaves and you can’t even imagine what went wrong?
It’s important to reflect and ask yourself what factors make loyal and motivated team members. Money, of course, but what else? According to recent research in the Russian legal business development community, for example, marketing and business development specialists in Russian law firms are motivated by 3 top points:
As you can see, money is far from the top consideration.
There is another immeasurable component to is vital – quality interpersonal relationships, which you as a partner build with everyone in your team. Consider how building relationships works in your personal life: the more attention and value you place on a person, the more loyal they becomes.
But what does this actually mean? Let’s call it a principle of “customised motivation” which may include a number of activities. The basics are:
1. Research
From time to time have friendly talks with your team members, or identify a person in your team who can act as a “confidant”, who can “measure the temperature” inside. Who investigates the worries and problems your team members may have. This way you will have a general picture and understanding of potential threats which may lead to losing your key team members.
2. Pay attention
By becoming aware of hidden worries and frustrations, you can prevent them from becoming crucial. Even small contributions and attention by you personally can make the difference and save a key staff person from burning out and leaving. What can you do? Actually, everything. But first of all, provide compassion and support. Very often this works like nothing else.
3. Communicate
Ask for opinions, have discussions, reckon with what team members have to tell you. For example, you can use polls in messengers when you need to make decisions connected with the team’s activities. Moreover, there should always be an element of entertainment and inclusion.
4. Trust
Respect the trust and confidence your team members place in you. Remember that everything you may learn from a team member in a confidential conversation should never be disclosed to others.
Nektorov, Saveliev & Partners is a law firm established in 2006 in Moscow, Russia, focused on providing comprehensive legal solutions to corporate and private clients under Russian and English law. Their main practice areas are sanctions compliance, corporate and M&A, international arbitration and litigation, tax, public-private partnership, investments and real estate. They provide legal support to clients in Russia, CIS countries and worldwide.
GGI member firmNektorov, Saveliev & PartnersMoscow, RussiaT: +7 495 646 81 76
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