34 Powerful Ways To Motivate Your Team To Improve Performance
A big part of running an organisation and keeping it on track is ensuring everyone is motivated.
It’s hard to keep everyone on the same page and to pull in the same direction with the same levels of effort when some people on the team lack motivation.
So what can be done to change that from your point of view as the leader of the company?
That’s what I will talk about today, so if this is something that you want to get better at, read on now and find out more about what it’ll take.
1. Be a Supportive and Approachable Leader
First, you’ll need to make sure you’re a supportive leader to your team of people.
Sometimes, people need that little extra care and attention, and they need to feel supported in their roles.
If you’re not the kind of leader who offers that kind of support, people will become disengaged and certainly won’t have the motivation you want them to have, so it’s not something to overlook.
2. Create a Positive Work Environment
Positivity can go a long way when trying to run a business and manage a team of people, which you should try your best not to forget.
When you create a positive work environment in which everyone feels supported and in which people enjoy spending their working days, they’ll feel more focused and motivated when it comes to completing the tasks at hand.
So this is something you might want to work on.
3. Ensure Each Person Feels Valued
You want each person to feel as if they have an important role within the team and within what the business is trying to achieve.
If people don’t feel valued and they don’t feel like they have an important role to play, it’s very easy for them to lose motivation and stop caring so much about what the business is doing.
That’s not what you want to happen, so pay attention to that individual sentiment.
4. Assist Them with Career Progression
When people feel that their work for your business is progressing their careers and interests, they will feel motivated to keep pushing and progressing over time.
So, please do your part to assist them as best you can with their career goals and aims, and make sure that you’re doing what you can to help them.
This can be done through mentoring and delivering new learning and training opportunities in the workplace.
5. Communicate with Clarity
Communication must be clear and to the point if you want people to feel empowered.
When people feel like they don’t know what they’re meant to do due to poor communication, it can hold the business back from achieving the things you want.
So, be clear and make sure that you also tailor your approach to communication to the individuals you’re speaking to at the time. Each person responds differently.
Set clear and realistic project objectives and goals. You must have a clear understanding of your goals before beginning any undertaking. Nothing is more demotivating than a project without a clear goal.
Your objectives must be precise, attainable, and simple for all team members to comprehend. Setting clear objectives will aid the team in concentrating on and cooperating toward our desired conclusion.
6. Get Their Feedback
Getting feedback from your employees is never a bad idea and is something that can certainly help them and help you.
First, it shows that you care about what they say and are willing to listen to them.
When you get their feedback, you can also get a clearer idea of what you’re doing right and what you could do differently in the future.
You can learn much about your team from what they tell you, and you can learn to motivate them better.
Make sure review sessions are implemented at the very beginning of the project, not after it has already begun. The team is ready for favourable and unfavourable events throughout the project timetable.
7. Be a Vocal Motivator in the Workplace
How you motivate people comes down to what you say and your presence in the workplace.
Some workplaces can benefit from a vocal leader doing their part to inspire motivation and energy in the workplace from one day to the next.
You can use inspirational work quotes and deliver energy through speeches that you make to your team at the start of each morning, for example.
8. BE HONEST WITH THE MEMBERS OF YOUR TEAM
Once the objectives have been established, you must ensure that everyone knows them. To avoid confusion later on, talk to each team member individually to discuss their responsibilities.
According to one survey, “63% of employees indicated that they spent time at work because they were unsure about what job was a priority and what wasn’t.”
So, to assist them in prioritising their job, you must address this head-on.
9. STAY UPBEAT IN MEETINGS
Everything begins with you as the team leader, including the mindset you bring to each meeting. Be effective as a leader and ensure your positive attitude spreads to the rest of the team because it is contagious.
Simple actions like a smile, willingness to assist team members, and an eagerness to help provide a personal touch to your project.
Motivate and encourage them when they fail and assist them in taking new lessons from their mistakes, you may empower your team members.
10. CONDUCT FREQUENT EVALUATIONS
Have team meetings to motivate and review your progress regularly. Add some one-on-one sessions to these to help the person stay motivated and keep the lines of communication open.
Request all members’ opinions, both positive and negative. This demonstrates to your staff that you value their thoughts and view them on an equal footing.
Even though scheduled review meetings are essential to every project, informal or unofficial meetings are just as crucial, especially for the team members.
These might be straightforward, casual, and friendly contacts, but they give your project management approach a human touch and make it easier to monitor progress.
11. PROVIDE POSSIBILITIES FOR PERSONAL GROWTH
Motivate your team members to meet organizational objectives. Please help them to have employee career development plans too.
They want to succeed as an employee, and finding possibilities for self-development is every professional’s ultimate objective.
You can also showcase development prospects in your firm as a motivation for improved performance. Demonstrate how each team member may advance to new levels of responsibility.
You can also provide your team with a rewards program. Give each person a chance to meet predetermined goals and earn rewards.
You might provide team meals, sporting events, team vacations, and other social activities to encourage your team members. But be sure to follow through on your commitment; else, it can backfire.
You can shop custom Tyvek wristband and give them as rewards, they can be personalized with your company logo or slogan, making them a great promotional item that can be used frequently by employees or clients.
12. PROMOTE COLLABORATION AMONG THE TEAM
Motivate and encourage the team members to ask questions as you attempt to get to know them personally and collectively.
Have in-depth discussions with them and endeavour to learn what motivates them, particularly in light of your jobs. This should make it easier for everyone to get together, get to know one another and work as a team.
By fostering a supportive environment and motivating people to do the same for one another, you can be the leader who empowers his or her team.
13. DON’T PUNISH MISTAKES OR SHORTCOMINGS
On the other hand, sometimes you try something, and it doesn’t work out. Your workers and coworkers are no different in this regard.
In the absence of malicious intent, team members need the freedom to fail to advance. Trying something and failing is a sign that your team is attempting to progress.
Always motivate them because there are many lessons failure will open your eyes to.
14. AVOID GETTING SUCKED INTO TO-DO LISTS
Avoid being a team leader who concentrates solely on dates, hours, targets, and reports because they get overly preoccupied with their project plan timelines.
Remember that you are not in charge of a team of robots but rather a group of really gifted individuals who would like to work well with you rather than for you.
It all comes down to how well you communicate in the end.
15. DON’T TRY TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING YOURSELF; ASSIGN TASKS INSTEAD
It would help if you rarely worked alone on a project unless you are a true jack of all trades in your field.
Why? Because unless it’s extremely basic and clear-cut, it can call for a different set of skills that you might not be particularly excellent at.
Consider a website as an example. It would help if you had backend and frontend developers, UI & UX designers, copywriters, SEO & marketing professionals, and so on to have a completely functional website.
16. MAINTAIN PERSONAL MOTIVATION
If the team leader is not motivated and enthusiastic, it is difficult for the team to be.
Set a good example and improve your levels of motivation.
17. CREATE MILESTONES FOR YOUR TASKS
Breaking down your activities into manageable milestones with realistic time frames is the best thing you can do to motivate your team.
When working on a large project, ensure you and your team aren’t running behind schedule and are functioning at a high level.
So that the entire project may be completed by the deadline, you will know exactly what needs to be done and when it needs to be finished.
18. KEEP YOUR MEMBERS FROM GETTING BORED
Do you desire a motivated and effective team? Avoid routine.
One of the problems in the workplace is boredom. The enemy of excitement is routine. Allow individuals to discover and explore. As much as you can, make the work exciting and compelling.
19. PUT TOGETHER BRAINSTORMING SESSIONS
Your entire team has gathered and brainstormed original concepts for a forthcoming project. Such a practice fosters originality and creativity in each person.
Your staff can practice team building during brainstorming sessions. To develop original solutions, each person approaches the same goals and struggles.
Making this process into a game will make it more enjoyable for everyone. Set up a scoreboard and permit a brainstorming battle between two teams. Your team’s decision-making will become more cohesive when there is a competing team.
20. USE AN AGILE WORKING METHOD
The agile method is one of the most effective project management techniques in technology and product development.
The agile methodology emphasises the value of each team member. Depending on the project scenarios, any team member can switch tasks and work in conjunction with another simultaneously.
Every team can have a motivating leader that is knowledgeable about the project and understands how to increase each team member’s productivity, such as taking Agile courses to enhance their skills and boost their efficiency. Thanks to the agile methodology.
21. FOSTER COMPETITIVENESS
Motivate your team by using the well-known incentive system in this way.
When people are confident that exceptional achievement will be rewarded, they are more willing to put forth their best efforts and suggestions.
Just make sure that everyone can fully understand the reward scheme.
22. RECOGNIZE AND HONOR EACH VICTORY
If you’re working on a long-term project, divide it into smaller goals and recognise minor successes. You could motivate them by going out for lunch, supper, or drinks.
The majority of team leaders make the mistake of just pointing out errors. However, an effective leader in the workplace would commend everyone’s efforts to make them feel inspired and encouraged to work even harder in the future.
If constructive criticism is required, it must consider how to provide each team member at least one opportunity to be the centre of attention. All will be inspired to work hard as a result.
23. TAKE TIME TO CONSIDER EACH TEAM MEMBER’S PERSPECTIVE
No member of the team should feel subordinate. Even a student intern needs to feel comfortable approaching the team leader.
Projects can be more productive when there is minimal confusion. And that is made possible through honest communication between the team leader and each team member.
This strategy also gives each team member a sense of significance. When faced with difficulty, they give it their all and think more forcefully.
So, encourage open communication throughout your team to increase output.
24. RUN TRAINING SESSIONS FOR SKILL-SHARING
Each individual in your team possesses special skills. That is something a leader can see and motivate them for.
But one of the qualities of a good team player is understanding how crucial the other team members are. They must become familiar with and comprehend the abilities of other team members to do that.
If your team has members with a range of skill sets, you can organise skill-sharing activities. These activities are planned so that team members can share knowledge and teach one another new skills.
25. LINK YOUR WORK TO THE GENERAL PICTURE
Assist the team in comprehending how their work affects and advances larger corporate objectives.
It may result in a greater sense of contribution and increased pride in one’s work.
26. SHOW TEAM PLAYERS THE VALUE OF TIME
The use of time during work hours directly relates to increased production.
Therefore, educating your staff on the value of time might help to boost productivity. But special techniques will be needed for this teaching.
You may, for instance, use productivity apps such as time-tracking technology in your workplace. Request that team members keep track of their time at work and submit reports.
Additionally, request that they evaluate the monthly growth or decline in their own time management abilities.
27. SET OUT EXPECTATIONS CLEARLY
Ambiguous directions to your team can be perplexing and frustrating. Be specific about the project’s requirements, as well as deadlines and other crucial details.
Communication is crucial to the success of the team if you are working on a large project with some of your teammates.
Therefore, the key to finishing the assignment successfully will be to make sure that you motivate them by communicating about everything, from positive to bad.
Giving clear instructions enables your team to complete the task at hand without wasting time on the wrong thing. It also prevents possible rework and further wasted time.
28. ELIMINATE POINTLESS DUTIES
If you continue overloading your team with work, they will become unmotivated. A team shouldn’t feel under strain from a methodical working method.
And it’s up to you to demonstrate that you care about your teammates. Try delaying or eliminating a task if unnecessary and the team already has enough work to do.
This strategy is crucial to boost productivity and efficiency when working on a sizable project. Task reduction can encourage team members to work more productively and produce better results.
29. SAVE TEAM MEMBERS FROM OVERWORK
Avoid overworking your team. Yes, there are occasions when the team must put in extra time.
The staff may have to exert more effort if you have an urgent request or high-priority project.
However, do not make this urgency an everyday thing.
30. PROMOTE ORIGINALITY
Controlling every action does not equate to supervision. It ensures every organisational task is carried out to the utmost standard.
Allow people the flexibility to come up with original solutions to problems on their own. Encourage them to think creatively.
31. PROVIDE WHAT THEY NEED
Do what you can to assist and motivate them if they are running into obstacles as they attempt to forward the work.
When extra assistance is required, escalate. If training and development are needed, give them that.
For instance, a larger monitor might make a team member’s work more pleasant if they are handling enormous volumes of data on a small laptop.
Redirect interactions to the project manager if end users are phoning developers directly to request a change to the project’s scope.
When facing problems, your team will be more motivated due to your efforts to encourage them.
32. BUILD AND PRESERVE TEAM SPIRIT
In a team, as in a family, trust and mutual support are valued above all else.
Plan team-building exercises during and after work to motivate your team.
By fostering and sustaining a strong sense of teamwork at work, you will have a 50% chance of success.
33. SHARE THE COMPANY’S GOALS WITH EACH EMPLOYEE
Motivation and excitement become integral components of all actions if everyone is aware of the shared vision, which will result in the prosperity and success of the organisation.
Make sure to keep your staff’s attention focused on the accomplishment of achieving that compelling vision.
34. GIVE AS MUCH ASSISTANCE AS YOU CAN
Even if your employees are disciplined and creative enough to come up with answers to various issues, they will still require your direction.
Motivate your team and give them all the support they need, and they’ll do the same for you and the firm.
Conclusion
As you can see, there’s a lot to think about if your team is currently lacking motivation, and you want to make sure that you can keep everyone pulling together towards your main goals.
How can you motivate your team to improve performance?
Be sure to make the most of the ideas discussed here because each will give your team the motivation they need to help the business ultimately succeed.
