INT 114: Staying Motivated after a Setback

In this week’s episode of the Int-HER-rupt podcast, our host Linda Yates spent some time in a conversation with Monique Jenkins. Jenkins is an HR leader who has worked for the state of Georgia for a decade. Her infectious energy and leadership skills come through in this podcast as she discusses how she has recovered from various setbacks over her life and career, and what gave her the strength to stay motivated to achieve her goals.

Background

• Jenkins enlisted in the army at 18 and planned to stay for four years, but ended up coming back to Mississippi and attending university. Leaving the army was an early setback that she overcame
• She holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Mississippi University for Women (the first public school for women!)
• In 2009, Jenkins moved to Georgia and began working for the state supporting HR professionals

How Jenkins Recovered After a Major Professional Setback

• After planning a major event, due to a hurricane, the conference had to be stopped. The entire team that had planned it had to quickly change focus, pivoting to ensuring the safety of all of the guests, and recovering from the loss of a fundraising opportunity
• Jenkins had a strong team. They were all involved in decision-making, developing plans, and changing those plans.
• After the event, Jenkins took some time to process and recover and encouraged her staff to do so as needed.
• She also thought back through all the decisions that were made, and gave credit to her and her team for doing the best they could given the information they had at the time.

3 Tips for Motivating a Team After a Setback

• Acknowledge their concerns. Then help them see the big picture, and have perspective on the larger goals you are all looking to achieve.
• It’s okay to be vulnerable. Demonstrate to your team that it’s okay to take a step back and recover if that’s what they need to do. Create a safe environment where it’s “okay to not be okay.”
• Remember that we are all human. Things are not always going to go our way - as Jenkins says in the episode, “the path is not always straight.” If the leader can remember that, they can remind the team of it as well.

Jenkins acknowledges that it’s not always easy to see the bigger picture right after a setback happens. She encourages people to process and feel the emotions of disappointment and sadness that may come with crises, large and small. But once those emotions have been processed, staying focused on the goal and carrying on is the next, and most important, step.

If you connected with this message and you’d like to reach out to Monique Jenkins, you can find her on LinkedIn. You can also reach out to Linda and let her know how this episode relates to the challenged you’ve faced. This podcast is produced by TSE Studios. Check out other podcasts by TSE Studios, including this episode’s sponsor, The Sales Evangelist, helping new and struggling sellers close more deals and achieve their sales goals. Subscribe to the IntHERrupt Podcast so you won’t miss a single show. Find us on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and Stitcher. Audio created by Ryan Rasmussen Productions.