As a leader, you know it is part of your job to motivate your team. A solid, energetic, motivated team is a company’s most vital asset! It’s a critical aspect of leadership. But where do you get encouragement, and how do you stay motivated at work? Who, aside from a spouse or loved one, is consistently available to offer support, provide a listening-post, and push you forward when you need motivation?

If you’re like a lot of leaders, you may struggle to stay energetic. After all, when you’re used to cheering for others, focusing on yourself can be uncomfortable. Disciplined leaders get that they’re human and require motivation at times, too. They make it a point to build a team of trusted advisors, people who know them well and are willing to support them when it matters most.

Here’s what to consider as you build your motivation team:

Look for honesty. It’s hard to have faith when your gut is saying (or you outright know) that your encouragers are only telling you what you want to hear. If someone has a track record for fudging the truth, you can’t trust them. Consequently, their “applause” will feel contrived, if not downright fake. You need to carefully assess peers or co-workers to find people that you can trust and who will rally you for the right reasons. Choose people who have integrity, and whom you respect or even admire. These are the people you want in your fan club, and their genuine encouragement and heartfelt advice can help you achieve your goals and true potential.

Tap people who know you well. For starters, they’ll be more likely to want to cheer you on because they genuinely care about you. But there’s also a good chance that they will be more effective. Because they know your strengths and weaknesses, these people have a good grasp of your challenges. They’ll understand the message you need to hear, and they’ll know how to say it in a way that keeps you focused on your most vital goals.

Make sure they will be available. Everybody’s busy, and people’s lives are generally hectic. So, when you’re asking for someone’s help, make sure they really can do this job. Let them know that you need them to play a consistent role in celebrating your hard work, motivating you, and giving advice toward your goals, dreams, or greater vision of success. Be upfront. Express your needs, share your expectations, and determine together if they’re right for the part. Sometimes people have great intentions and think they will be able to support you, but they really don’t have the time – and that can hurt more than help. Be sure that members of your motivation team can honor their commitment and will be available to when it matters most.

Do you have a team of people to cheer you on toward your goals?