Proven Strategies to Engage Your Team
A Checklist
The best motivation is internal – Great Managers hire people who have the natural drive to want to do well. However, the Great Manager makes sure they don’t do things that ruin that motivation. Here is a checklist for managers to use to ensure they aren’t killing the motivation of the team.
Are all goals and expectations clear?
Best way to test it is by asking employees to tell you the goals and expectations. If they say something other than what you would say, you must communicate better.Are you giving enough feedback?
Ask employees to tell you the last piece of feedback they received from you. If they can’t remember, then you need to give more and be clearer on the feedback.Do your employees feel they have autonomy?
Think about the past few days of interactions with your team – how many times do you tell them what to do without telling them HOW or WHERE?Are you recognizing achievements often enough?
When was the last time you gave an employee a reward? When was the last time you celebrated as a team?When was the last time you asked about work-life balance?
You not only have to create a culture where this balance is permitted, you must model it and constantly check in on how employees are feeling about this. Don’t be surprised if your team is feeling pressure from other teams or leaders to overwork.Do you have any development money that isn’t being used?
Many orgs have budgets to support development – either for the team or for individuals. Make sure you are aware of all the development opportunities and help your team take advantage of it.Are you leading by example?
Do an inventory of your actions over the past few weeks. Does your behavior align with the values you talk about?
By implementing these strategies, you can create a motivated and engaged team that is ready to take on any challenge. Motivated teams are not only more productive but also more creative and innovative, leading to greater success for your organization.