The other day I heard a comedian say, “According to statistics, there are 7 million Americans not working — and even more if you count those with jobs.”
Unfortunately, there’s some truth in it. Some employees are doing far less than they could.
I was reminded of that when a leader pulled me aside after one of my sessions and said,
“Dr. Z, I’ve got a problem. One of my employees just doesn’t care anymore. No energy. No initiative. Honestly… I think he’s just lazy.”
I asked him one simple question: “When did he stop trying?”
He paused… and then said something interesting. “You know… he wasn’t always like this.”
And that’s the moment everything changed.
Because most people aren’t naturally lazy.
They didn’t start that way. They became that way for a reason.
And if you don’t understand that reason, no amount of pushing, reminding, or “motivating” is going to work.
So here’s the shift:
Stop asking, “How do I motivate them?”
Start asking, “What’s getting in the way of their motivation?”
Because when you remove what’s in the way… motivation has a way of showing up on its own.
Let me give you six ways to make that happen.
1. Start with Your Belief – It Sets the Ceiling
People rarely rise above the expectations placed on them.
If you see someone as a problem, you’ll treat them like a problem. And more often than not, they’ll perform exactly that way.
But when you genuinely believe someone has potential—even when they’re not showing it yet—you change how you show up. And that changes how they respond.
I remember a manager telling me about an employee who had checked out—doing the bare minimum, no initiative, no spark. Instead of writing him off, the manager sat him down and said, “I don’t think this is the real you. I think you’ve got more in you and I’m going to hold you to it.”
At first, nothing changed.
But within a few weeks, the employee started showing up differently.
Not because of pressure… but because someone believed he was capable of more.
Bottom line: People tend to become what we consistently communicate to them.
Takeaway: Before you try to fix someone’s behavior, check your mindset.
Ask yourself: “What potential am I not seeing—or not communicating?”
2. Respect isn’t optional, it’s Fuel
Here’s a mistake I see all the time.
Leaders think respect has to be earned before it’s given.
That’s backwards.
If you fail to express respect, you’ll get demoralized, nonproductive behavior in return.
You don’t have to agree with someone to respect them.
But you do have to show it if you want their best.
Today, respect looks like:
- Listening without interrupting
- Acknowledging effort, not just outcomes
- Speaking to people, not at them
People will work harder for someone who respects them than for almost anything else.
Takeaway: This week, deliberately show respect in visible ways, especially to the person who frustrates you most.
3. Find the Hidden Strength—It’s Always There
Inspiring leaders know there’s always something good in every person.
But sometimes… You have to look a little harder.
One leader I worked with had a team member who struggled with deadlines and details.
Easy label? “Unreliable.”
But when they looked closer, they realized something else: he was exceptional with clients. Built trust instantly. People loved working with him.
So they shifted his responsibilities slightly, less detail work, more relationship building.
Same person. Completely different performance.
There’s a lesson here.
Sometimes the problem isn’t the person. It’s the fit.
That’s why I tell my audiences, “There is something that is much scarcer, something finer and something rarer than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability.”
Takeaway: Have one conversation this week where your only goal is to uncover someone’s strengths—not their weaknesses.
4. Raise the Standard (Even If They Push Back)
Here’s a hard truth.
People don’t respect leaders who let them slide.
They may complain.
They may resist.
But deep down, they want to be challenged.
While making that point to an audience of school superintendents, one of the audience members confirmed it. She said, “Kids respect courage. They say, ‘If you don’t make me do it, you don’t care about me.’ They squirm; then they do it.”
Because challenge communicates belief.
Low standards say, “I don’t expect much from you.”
High standards say, “I know you’re capable of more.”
And people rise—or fall—to that expectation.
Takeaway: Pick one area where you’ve been “letting it go.” Address it directly and clearly define what excellence looks like.
5. Assume There’s Still a Spark
It may not look like it…
But even the most disengaged person still has a desire to succeed.
It may be buried.
It may be discouraged.
But it’s there.
Your job isn’t to create motivation out of nothing.
Your job is to ignite what’s already inside them.
Sometimes that means:
- Connecting their work to something meaningful
- Giving them ownership
- Or simply reminding them they’re capable
Takeaway: Stop labeling people as “unmotivated.” Start asking: “What’s blocking their motivation?”
6. Give a Clear Dose of Reality
Encouragement without accountability doesn’t work.
At some point, you have to be direct.
A business owner told me, “I kept hoping she’d improve, so I didn’t say anything.”
Months went by.
Nothing changed.
Finally, he sat down and clearly explained the impact of her behavior—and what needed to change.
Her response? “I wish you had told me this sooner.”
Clarity doesn’t crush people.
It frees them.
Takeaway: Have the conversation you’ve been avoiding. Be honest, specific, and focused on improvement—not blame.
Bottom Line
Motivating others isn’t about tricks or techniques.
It’s about how you see people…
how you treat them…
and what you expect from them.
Do these six things consistently, and you won’t just manage people—you’ll transform them.
A Quick Challenge for You
This week, choose one person who’s not performing at their best.
Then:
- 1. Change how you see them
- 2. Show them visible respect
- 3. Have one honest conversation about expectations
And watch what happens.
P.S.
If you found this helpful, you’ll love what we’ll be doing inside NEXT-LEVEL YOU … starting in just a few weeks.
One of our 12 core themes is how to bring out the best in other people—consistently, not occasionally.
Because your success won’t just be determined by what you do.
It will be determined by what you bring out in others.
To ask Dr. Z any question or to schedule a free consultation, email him at Alan@DrZimmerman.com.
To subscribe to Dr. Zimmerman’s free weekly Internet newsletter, the Tuesday Tip, or to give someone else a free subscription, go to https://www.drzimmerman.com/subscribe. When you do, you’ll also receive Dr. Z’s whitepaper on 93 Truths for Unlimited Happiness and Success.
To receive more information on Dr. Z’s speaking, training, and leadership coaching, go to https://www.drzimmerman.com/.
