Sharing Control Is the Key to Motivation

Author and motivational speaker Susan Carnahan encouraged attendees at the 2004 Women in Leadership Forum to "delegate authority and responsibility so people feel empowered."

What one word is guaranteed to make people smile? Marvelous said with the right attitude. Susan Carnahan, author and keynote speaker at the 2004 NASSP Convention Women in Leadership Forum sponsored by MetLife Resources, delivered her motivational message, "Tough Times Never Last but Tough Administrators Do! Surviving and Thriving in Challenging Times," with humor and fun to an audience of more than 200 not an easy task when speaking about the myriad challenges current administrators face.

Research suggests that today's workplaces often waste their greatest resource: people. Schools are no exception. Administrators must find ways to motivate teachers so they in turn can motivate their students. But how can you create a motivated workforce when you lack control over so many factors?

Carnahan offered this practical advice: Engage people by sharing control and responsibility. "You feel good about yourself when you feel you have control and out of sync when you don't," she said. Stress emerges when people feel as if they have no control over a situation, Carnahan explained, "so delegate authority and responsibility so people feel empowered."

Letting go of what we can't control is the key to staying motivated and we'll live longer as a result, Carnahan said.

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