Author: Cheryl Cran © Word count: 11568 Ways to Motivate Your Team
It’s
eternal conundrum, how do leaders get their teams to perform at higher levels and how do they maintain a level of high morale. It always amazes me how leaders point finger at their people and talk about them as if they are problem or an entity unto themselves responsible for all failings within department. It is a brave leader who will look at themselves first and ask some very powerful yet disturbing questions such as:
What have I done in past that worked? What’s going on with me right now and am I bringing enthusiasm to workplace? Am I being realistic in my expectations and have I communicated them to my team?
A team’s performance is a direct reflection of leader who leads them. Ouch! Think about it….people within a team will only perform to level that they see rewarded or to level that their leader brings to table. In my training seminars to management leaders I often challenge them to look at how themselves their strengths, weaknesses and how they manage before they look at problems that their people are challenging them with.
Many leaders are put into their positions with little or no training and they are doomed to fail. The assumption most employees make is that because you are leader you should know how to manage personalities and motivate. This couldn’t be further from truth. People skills are just that, a skill that is developed through training, application and experience.
I am not saying that we absolve employees of responsibility, let’s face it in a highly functioning team environment there exists a high level of accountability all way around. What I am saying is that we leaders be willing to look at ourselves and what we have control over. Here are 8 things you can do to motivate your teams:
1. Look in mirror. Are you waking up with enthusiasm and excitement about your work? Have you set goals for yourself and your team? Or are you just punching a time clock like rest of them and its all you can do to not fall asleep with boredom or scream out loud with frustration. What do you need to be more excited and enthused? If you are not excited and energetic it is not fair to expect your team to bring same to table.
2. Take a retreat. Step away from work environment for a day or if possible two. Go to a 2-day management seminar or retreat and re-fuel, re-group and re-energize so that you can bring a fresh attitude and approach back to your team. Many leaders are suffering burnout and they are not able to be creative with their solutions. Signs of burnout are: lethargy, apathy and negativity just to name a few.
3. Take a pulse. Do an assessment of your team dynamics. List all of your team members on a piece of paper and beside each person’s name indicate level of performance you feel they are currently at, what you feel they are capable of and where gap in performance exists. Then think about how you have approached this person in past in regards to performance improvement and what you can do differently this time with them to have them hear you in a new and different way.
4. Tell them what you want. Have a team meeting and tell your team that you want to brainstorm ideas on how to create higher levels of motivation and morale. Be willing to hear all ideas and as a group have them prioritize ideas and then delegate action items. Be willing to do something yourself to show your commitment to goal of higher motivation and morale.
