Teamwork Motivation

As a project manager you might be searching for the various ways to motivate your team members. Teams are the hardest to manage and motivate, because different people react differently to the same motivator. Reading through these non-monetary motivation tips, you will be able to build team morale and make work easy and fun.

1. Start with yourself. You are a leader and a role model. Are you motivated and positive all the time? What motivates you? Work on your confidence. Always remember that one of your tasks is to inspire people to work together towards a specific goal.
2. Know your team. Who are these people? What are their expectations and professional goals? What motivates and drives them to success? If possible, select people you want to work with. Make sure members of the team are leaders, creators, initiators etc…get the right mixture.
3. Set SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Agreed-upon, Realistic and Time-based. Setting smart goals will eliminate uncertainty. Every team member should know what they are working towards, what their role is and what they can do to contribute.
4. Inform your team what challenge may arise and how these will be solved. Each member has to participate. Participation means being a part of the decision-making process, hence, a great stimulator for motivation.
5. Applaud your people. It is a form of recognition. Give genuine thanks to people in front of the other team members, before, during and after work, during meetings, basically, whenever. Boost your people’s self-esteem. Make it a habit to give constructive feedback and show appreciation for a job well done.
6. Invest in your people. There can never be enough training. It is an on-going process. Regular training sessions can be conducted by skilled people in your organisation. Give your team members all missing skills.
7. Organise a lunch with your team. Let them know they are valued. It is a well spent time to discuss the progress, plans and goals. There are various alternatives to lunches – paint-balling, bowling, camping and others. You can employ professionals to organise such days for you and your team.
8. Stand up for your staff at all times. Do not play team members against each other. You have to be trusted and professional. Always remember about work ethics. People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.
9. Do not blame a specific team member for a failure. Acknowledge that failure is part of the progress. If it is a team work, everyone is to blame equally. As a leader you have to discuss together what went wrong and how it can be fixed.
10. Do not control every single task your people do. Every member of team has its’ own work style, pace and skills. Give them more control over what they do. Appreciate their uniqueness and let them grow. Believe in your people, because the majority wants to succeed.
11. Create worthy job titles. For you it will not cost anything. For your team members it will mean everything, as well as boost confidence and acknowledge importance. Have your staff come up with the job title they would not be embarrassed to share during networking events.
12. Give your staff time off for reaching goals earlier or for any other hard work. People will be more willing to compete for longer lunch breaks, late arrivals or early dismissals than for cash rewards.
13. Invite guest speakers to educate your team about stress management techniques. Your staff will know that you are aware of stress factors in the workplace and that you care about their well-being. Consider cost-efficient on-site seminars and workshops for your staff.