In our last blog, we discussed the importance of keeping your team motivated. Whether you are on a team taking the field or a team running an office, it is important to have self-motivated members to be successful. As a business owner, there are a number of ways that you can keep your team motivated, making them feel valued and appreciated.
As mentioned last time, Michelle Eby of Media-Partners.com insists that the best managers keep their team members motivated all-year round. They recognize that getting the best out of their team doesn’t come from once-in-a-blue-moon cash incentives or every-so-often pep talks. She lists a number of ways to make sure that your team is functioning at their best at all times.
Treat your employees differently. Don’t mistake this for NOT treating the members of your staff as equals. Eby reminds us that not all our employees are the same, however, so your feedback and praise should also take on some variation. Meet the individual needs of your employees and acknowledge the different things that make them unique. This will add great value to your ability to motivate.
When you see it, say it. On-the-spot appreciation works wonders, according to Eby. These quick and easy comments will help you to not forget to offer a sign of appreciation for a job well done. They could be as simple as saying “I like how you handled that last customer” the second one of your sales staff members gets off of the phone.
Focus on the positive and diminish the negative. Of course, there will always be moments when your employees aren’t performing at their best. Eby recommends, however, that you do not dwell on weaknesses that do not have a major impact. Performance issues require addressing in ways that communicate that a change will be of significance in the overall presentation of your business. Focus on an employee’s strengths when providing feedback.
Make it okay to fail. Here’s a suggestion that may raise some eyebrows. At first, it may not seem like a popular piece of advice. But Eby remarks that mistakes are part of learning. All of your employees wish to succeed. So using their mistakes as learning tools to do a better job the next time around is a much better way to handle performance issues than what may seem like threatening reprimanding.
Celebrate team victories. This is always fun! Writes Eby: “There’s nothing like a celebration after hard work. Celebrations can strengthen a team because you’re acknowledging the successful working together toward a common goal.” Sports teams do it best when they win championships. Why shouldn’t your team celebrate after the end of a successful project? What could be more fun for your office than a party?
In our next blog, we will conclude our look at Eby’s list of ways to motivate your team to achieve ultimate success.