Tip #1. Treat People Like Individuals - Not everyone is motivated the same way. When interacting with your team, make sure you take an extra moment to think about what is best for each team member.
Tip #2. Make Everyone Responsible For The Success and Failure Of The Team's Overall Outcome AND Their Individual Action Items - Keep everyone on the same page by having each team member held responsible for their part of the project as well as their individual action items. If you are able to add an incentive for successful completion of the project, it will help keep everyone delivering at peak performance. Conversely, there should also be ramifications should goals not be met.
Tip #3. Create A Shared Sense Of Purpose - Make sure everyone has a role or purpose in the process. All teams have A and B players - while it is easier to work with the "A" players, be sure you keep the "B" players plugged in to some of the deliverables so they can contribute to the success of the team's goals.
Tip #4. Make All Goals The "Team's Goals" - The team's goals are built from everyone's input. Although everyone knows you have the authority to make the final decision, make sure your team has the ability to challenge you with "outside the box" options. As a reminder, the old adage still holds true: "When everyone is thinking like the boss, then someone is not thinking."
Tip #5. Share The Glory, But Accept The Blame If Things Do Not Go According To Plan - As a leader, you will no doubt catch the heat should something go askew; however, there is nothing wrong with sharing the glory when things go right. Remember, take the time to recognize your team's input by calling-out the things that went right or went wrong. Point out the fact that there are "lessons to be learned" to your team --- even if the project is wildly successful.
Tip #6. Get Involved & Stay Focused - Doing So Will Ensure Your Team's Success - Although delegation is easy to do, a leader needs to stay connected to all the details to ensure the project runs smoothly and effectively. Sometimes high-level leaders (who are not involved with the project's details) have a "hands-off" approach to a project. Nevertheless, you cannot be too far removed on a project or worse, micro-manage everyone's work. The sooner you find harmony with your team's performance, the sooner you will see your team's workflow improve.
Tip #7. Become A Mentor To Your Team Members - One way to mentor your team is to lead by example by rolling up your sleeves and pitching in. Depending on the seniority of the team, you can be an active or proactive coach according to the amount of training/suggestions you deliver.
Tip #8. Take Every Opportunity To Build Your Team's Confidence - Many leaders tend to catch people doing things wrong rather than catch people doing things right. Here is an idea: Give away a small, inexpensive trophy or a low denomination gift card to someone when you catch them doing something right. You will be surprised to see how this affects someone's performance and confidence.
Summary: A team's communication breakdown will result in conflict and poor performance. Look at your team and find ways to better manage their communication (with their help) by coming up with solutions to handle a problem or project. Doing so will go a long way in helping them develop the skills needed to become key employees.
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