A skilled team only gets you so far. Those leaders who really succeed not only assemble talented teams, they motivate them. A team that is both talented and motivated is tough to beat.
Having created a number of high performance teams, and watched numerous others do well (and less well) at doing the same, here are several tips to get the most out of your teams:
Make Work Have Value.
Good employees work hard and will do nearly anything you ask. However successful teams have team members who do more than work hard. Winning teams have members who go above and beyond. To get that drive from team members, it’s important to make sure everyone on the team understands how their work contributes to the team goals.
Be Authentic.
Leaders know who they are. More importantly, every member of a winning team knows who their leader really is. Turning leadership on or off isn’t something leaders do – it’s hard to make that work over the long run. Instead, people who lead teams the best are who they are all the time.
Make goals clear and achievable.
As important as it is to make sure team members know that their work contributes to team goals, they must also know exactly what’s expected of them both in the short and long term. At the same time, good leaders know to set achievable goals both for an individual and team.
Respect Everyone.
Good leaders know that every member of the team is important to meeting goals. The great managers make sure everyone on the teams not only hears that message but knows it’s true. Differences can tear any team apart. Respecting and appreciating all your team members is the best way to keep that from happening.
Provide incentives.
Rewards are important. They don’t just put value on achievement but are also a catalyst for progress. While it’s tempting to reward individual players, team rewards reinforce team goals and there’s deep value in clearly demonstrating that teams win (or lose) together.
Stay Plugged In.
Good leaders know there’s a big difference between staying up to date and looking over someone’s shoulder. Staying current with your team is very important, but resist the urge to ‘check in’ constantly. Freedom, respect and trust can unlock creativity.
