Ask any successful business person how they achieved their goals and part of what they tell you will always include assistance from others. In a corporate environment those “others” will include co-workers. In a small business environment they may mean employees or other service suppliers. The fact is that no matter what your goals are in business they can’t be achieved on your own.

That said, it’s important to recognize the fact that even though there will be people who can assist you, it doesn’t mean that they will always assist you in the way that you need them to. These people need motivation.

If you want to take control of your own destiny and find your version of success in business then you must own up to the fact that your ability to motivate others (or not) will be a large factor in determining whether or not you can achieve your goals.

The ability to motivate is one of the core traits of a good leader. In U.S. Army Officer Candidate school I was taught that a leader provides purpose, direction and motivation to their team. Many people are good visionaries who can see what they want in the future. There are also many people who are good at directing, or giving orders, to get the job done. My experience as shown me that far fewer people provide solid motivation for achieving goals. And by “solid motivation” I mean the kind of motivation that achieves a goal in a quick and efficient manner.

Simply providing motivation is not enough. It has to be positive, effective motivation. It has to be the kind of motivation that inspires people rather than creating a sense of fear. Recognize that both positive and negative motivation exist and distinguish between the two.

Actions that engender fear in people are negative. Threats of job loss or reduction in pay are negative motivators. They keep people going to avoid a negative condition. Promises of financial reward or other recognition are positive motivators. They spur people to take action so that they can do better and achieve their own goals.

If you use positive motivation as a tool for achieving success then people are more likely to appreciate your efforts and assist you in a meaningful manner. If you use negative motivation you will likely gain in the short run but those people will eventually either turn their back on you or stab you in the back at a later date.

In order to be successful at providing positive motivation. You must recognize two simple facts. First you must recognize that the vast majority of people want to do good and getter better at what they do. Second, you must acknowledge the fact that everyone is motivated by different things. The second fact makes things tough because it means that you can’t apply a “template” when providing motivation. Or in other words, you can’t treat everyone exactly the same.

You need to find out what motivates each and every one of the people who support your business. That means you need to get to know them. Which needs you need to talk to them, but more importantly, you need to listen. How many kids does Jane have? Where did Bill go to school? What are Pedro’s career goals? You have to know people to understand how to motivate them.

Even vendors or services providers to your business need positive motivation. In many cases their motivation might just be money. That’s why many businesses that sell merchandise offer special terms where quick payment means a discount on the invoice. This saves the customer a few dollars and helps the supplier get paid quickly. These are positive events. A vendor might also value future work and a steady business. They might provide better service or charge lower fees if a long term arrangement is put in place. Simply put, you must know your vendors just as well as you know the individuals who work with or for you.

Providing positive and effective motivation is not easy. It requires subtle skills that need to be constantly honed in order to be effective. Practicing these skills effectively takes time from actually producing. Take the time to assess your motivational approach with everyone you deal with. Determine whether you frequently use positive or negative motivation techniques. If you use positive motivation, is it effective? You have to ask yourself tough questions and give yourself honest answers in order to be effective at positive motivation.

The time spent on this is an investment that will pay off many times down the road. Get to know people and businesses. Practice positive, effective motivational techniques. By doing so you will take a great step towards insuring your success in the present and future.