How to Inspire Your Team

One of the trademarks of a good manager is the ability to motivate and inspire their team. However, when dealing with a diverse group of employees, each with their own goals, motivations, and personalities, it can be easier said than done. In this article, we’ll discuss several expert tips that you can utilize to get your employee’s best efforts every day.

Roll Up Your Sleeves

A good leader is one who isn’t afraid to get in the trenches with their employees. John Rampton of Inc.com elaborates, “Do you think that the most inspiring leaders are hiding in their offices all day? Absolutely not. They make themselves visible, roll up their sleeves, and join their team in completing tasks. Not only does this illustrate to your team that you’re a contributing member, it keeps you humble, and gives you a chance to see the various responsibilities that each team has – which not only teaches you something new, but also helps you earn more respect for your team.”

Offer Opportunities for Self-Development

As an employee, nothing can be more demoralizing than feeling like you’ve hit the wall in terms of career development. It’s for that reason Peter Economy of Inc.com believes self-development to be crucial to inspiring your team. “The members of your team will be more valuable to your organization, and to themselves, when they have opportunities to learn new skills. Provide your team with the training they need to advance in their careers and to become knowledgeable about the latest technologies and industry news.”

Be a Cheerleader, Not Just a Coach

Like anyone, employees often crave positive reinforcement. David Dye of Monster explains, “When employees don’t bring their A-games to work, it’s often because they lack confidence in their abilities or don’t even know what they’re capable of achieving. Great leaders bring out greatness in their team because they see what is possible and transfer that belief to their people. Empower your people by letting them know you believe they can achieve their goals, do their best work, take on a new project or land a new client. Often your belief in them will directly affect their confidence in themselves.”

Show Your Trust

Trust is the cornerstone that any functional workplace is built on. Human Resources website Workopolis elaborates, “The first sure way to motivate and inspire your employees is to demonstrate that you have faith in their abilities to get the job done. You can do this by assigning them more responsibilities and giving them the chance to rise to the challenge. Doing so shows that you trust them, which has a way of motivating people to keep doing their best.

Micromanaging your employees and hovering over their shoulders at every step is counterproductive because it makes them nervous. If your employees are too afraid to try new things, they won’t be giving you their best. Give them greater autonomy and responsibility and they will rise to the occasion.”

Ownership, Not Just Accountability

While accountability is certainly important, Glenn Llopis of Forbes suggests that it’s not the only thing to consider. “Enforcing accountability is a key component to sustaining performance momentum. However, when you can give your employees “ownership” in the process of defining how accountability is enforced – you inspire trust and a desire to go above and beyond the call of duty.

Giving your employees ownership means that you have shared and entrust them with your authority.   You are now allowing your employees to “call the shots” based on what they believe is in the best interest of the team and the organization. For example, create a special project and allow an employee to take ownership of it.   Outline your expectations for the end-result, but allow him or her to take charge of the project.  Use the results and what you learned along the way about the employee as a means to customize your approach to best inspire that employee’s performance long-term