A team works best when they are inspired and motivated. A team that is unenthusiastic is likely to be a team that underperforms. In order to get your project team working to their maximum potential, you must motivate them. A motivated team will work harder, and it will help your meet your project goals.
1. Keep your Team Informed
If a person does not know the reason why they are doing this work for you, they will not feel motivated to work. People, generally speaking like to have a specific aim that they can work towards. Each week, inform your whole team about the project. Discuss how the project has developed so far and what your team will be working towards in the future. If you keep them up-to-date they will know what they need to do to reach the project’s goals.
2. Praise Success
If the team achieves all of the goals for the project that week, make sure that you praise their success. Many project team leaders make the mistake of only acknowledging when a team member when they have made a mistake. If a team member never receives praise for their hard work, it won’t inspire them to do well again in the future. Provide constructive criticism when necessary, but don’t forget to give praise where it is due.
3. Listen to Their Ideas
Your team wants to feel as though you respect them and their opinions. If a member of your team has an idea, do not be quick to dismiss it. Instead, listen to their idea or their opinion, and consider implementing it. Often ideas that your team creates can turn out to be very successful. Even if you do not implement their idea, the member of the team will still feel appreciated, as you took the time to hear what they had to say.
4. Socialize With Your Team
If you have a good relationship with your project team members, they are likely to like you as a person, and will want to work hard for you. One of the best ways to build strong relationships with your team is to socialize with them outside of the office. You can either take individual members out for their lunch break, and you can discuss the project and get to know each other better, or you could take the whole team out once per month for dinner.
