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Nowhere is it written that a small business can’t accomplish huge goals. If your mind is set on accomplishing something, you’ll be able to achieve it. With a team of motivated assistants, you’ll be able to take on the world. But motivating people can be difficult. Here are some tips for keep your assistants motivated.

Goal setting is a powerful force for motivation. Giving your assistant written goals will help them to understand exactly what needs to be accomplished. Plus, goals are measurable - you either reach them or you don’t. This helps your assistant to be able to measure their progress.

Take some time at the start of each week or month to define and review goals with your assistant. This will help keep both of you on track, and help them to get their assignments completed.

A positive environment will also help with your assistants’ motivation. Even if you live on opposite sides of the world, you can still create a positive working environment.

Perhaps you can all meet for a weekly meeting on a teleconference line or in a web conference room. Help everyone feel like a team by encouraging them to interact with one another. Let them know that they can always ask each other for help or advice if you are not available.

Giving your assistants new challenges will also do wonders for their motivation. Perhaps one of your assistants can help you organize an event or plan a new information product.

Plenty of stimulation is also important for staying motivated. If someone works on the same task for too long, it can lead to boredom and a reduction in the quality of work. Giving them a new assignment or even having two or three assistants working on something as a team can make a big difference.

Contests are another great way to motivate people. You could define a team goal and if the team reaches it, they all receive a price. Or create individual goals to create a sense of competition.

Naturally, everyone is unique and each person is motivated by different things. What works for one assistant may not for another, so it’s important to keep the lines of communication open and to pay attention to the things that motivate each one.