Is your team happily chugging along, completing key tasks and crossing off to-do-list items like their life depends on it?
Or are they a little less engaged, less connected, and less productive than you’d like to see?
Team productivity is essential to your bottom line - both because you’re paying for their time, and because you need critical tasks completed.
“There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it or you can inspire it.” - Simon Sinek
Let’s skip the manipulation and look at how you can inspire your team to greater productivity.
Step up and lead by example
Let’s be clear — you are not your team’s babysitter. Professionals show up and get their work done. But you ARE their motivator!
Step up and lead by example. Celebrate your productivity and success openly. Celebrate productivity on the team openly. Show them what’s valued.
“Working together to achieve a mission that matters will inspire your team to work harder and stay more focused.”
Create the right team
Your guiding principle when building a team must be: “Hire for attitude, train for skill.”
If you find people who are the right vibe and fit with your team, they can learn the skills necessary.
Watch the dynamics between your team members, be aware of the personality mix you’re dealing with, and engage a talented project manager to assist you in keeping the team on-track.
Work with your team
Stay engaged in conversations with your team. Know when and why they’re stuck so you can support them.
This is especially key for virtual teams. Don’t allow your team to disconnect and work in vacuum. Try Slack chat or Skype group threads to keep communication open and ensure everyone’s making progress.
Work together with your team members to create rewards systems that motivate them and foster an environment they feel productive in.
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Equip your team for success
Set your people up to succeed by offering support and systems that allow them to increase their productivity.
Host a team training session on planning out a productive work day, prioritizing tasks, or using particular software more effectively.
Watch for the areas that seem to sap productivity and actively implement solutions.
Set clear goals and benchmarks - with public accountability
Sometimes productivity challenges are caused by unclear goals or mismatched expectations.
Does your team have clear goals and benchmarks they’re working towards?
“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.” - Peter Drucker
Set daily, weekly and monthly goals. Be specific. If you’ve got the right frameworks in place, your team will know what’s expected.
Use systems that allow transparency and public accountability. Tools like Wrike, Asana, Basecamp or Trello are invaluable.
When the entire team can see what’s done and what’s not… and everyone knows others are waiting on their pieces and depending on them to get it done, it will change the way team members deliver on their deadlines.
Encourage a positive mindset
Did you know 57% of people are motivated simply by a good mood?
What systems can you put in place to encourage positive mindset in your team? Look for ways to encourage them daily (you might delegate this one to your most positive team member and allow him or her to embrace this mission).
Provide a framework for “getting unstuck” and encourage your team to take breaks to recharge as needed.
Give your team ownership
Don’t micromanage. There’s no need to be a tyrant to successfully manage a productive team!
Be clear about a project’s necessary outcome and ultimate goal. Then give them the space and freedom to take ownership.
Empower your team to make decisions and be responsible for pieces of the projects they work on.
“Working together to achieve a mission that matters will inspire your team to work harder and stay more focused.”
Know your guiding values
What are the highest values for your team?
If you haven’t yet, schedule a group call or meeting to talk through what you most value (Creativity? Innovation? Positive attitude? Speed of execution? Collaboration?), create a list together, and then get your team to commit to those values.
Moving forward, every new team member should know the core values and voluntarily agree to them.
Publicly reward and acknowledge team members who exhibit the core values. Culture doesn’t just happen in a team - you’ve got to consciously create it.
Always focus back to the "why?"
Why does your company exist? What is the transformation you deliver for your clients?
Get clear on it and get your team clear on it.
Consider tying benchmark productivity goals to charitable donations, team activities, or other incentives that will motivate them to work together to keep each other on track. Friday pizza lunch or a specific charity donation can go a long ways towards inspiring a team.
Working together to achieve a mission that matters will inspire your team to work harder and stay more focused.
Share your “why” in a way that makes your team want to jump out of bed in the morning because they can’t wait to be part of what you’re creating in the world.
Once you’ve done that, you’ll see their productivity increase, excitement levels go through the roof, and the way they complete tasks and engage with your clients will transform.
So, why do YOU jump out of bed in the morning? And what can you do to inspire your team with that same excited motivation?
