#leadership #servantleadership #teamdevelopment
During crunch time it is often tough to keep your team’s morale and spirit high. Things get hectic, people start getting stressed and tempers can flare. That of course reduces the quality and quantity of work. So how do you keep the spirits high and tempers at bay?
Planning
Yes, planning is key. In German we have a saying that says
Good planning is half the battle
Spend time for planning and don’t do it alone! Involve your entire team and spend ample time on planning. Let them decide how much time they need for each activity and how the activities need to be staggered. That way they own it.
Have team planning sessions, where everyone comes prepared with their activities and how long they think they take. Then allow them to coordinate how they stack the tasks. They have done it before and know how it can work, just trust them! Don’t forget to include their risk assessment and build in contingency for the risks anticipated.
This will already give you their buy-in they will feel engaged, trusted and respected.
Reach out to them
Leadership is all about relationship building!
Find that way in which you can connect to each individual. There is something that connects you and you can build your relationship on this. This could be anything, here are some examples:
- You went to the same school
- Love for the same football team
- Shared experiences
- Interest in the same sport
- Kids in the same age / the same school
- Similar backgrounds
- etc.
Only if you build meaningful relationships with your individual team members will you really be able to reach them. This needs you to be willing to give yourself as well.
Once you have built a relationship, it will be so much easier for you to identify when there is a drop in motivation or there is something bothering them. And because of your relationship having this conversation to find out what is bugging them, will be so much easier. They will find it easy to open up to you
Be there for them
Your team needs to know you have their back. You will be there for them when it counts and you will remove obstacles. Once they trust you on that they will be much more motivated to give their best. They will also have the peace of mind to concentrate on the work at hand.
So prove yourself trustworthy to them
Surprise them
When your team is under stress surprise them. Have an impromptu birthday celebration, show up with a cake in hand, buy a round of ice cream. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but the thought, the caring needs to be there.
If there is a holiday in one of the team members cultures, celebrate that as well.
Then let the team member share with the others what the holiday means and how they celebrate it. That 15-20 minutes you spend on this will be well worth it. They team grows closer together and they relax briefly. They will go back to work refreshed.
Celebrate Achievements
Whether it is a milestone achieved, an issue resolved or someone’s private achievement, just take a few minutes to celebrate together. No formal speeches, just a brief celebration & acknowledgement. This will relax the team, refresh their minds and give them the boost to continue. It will also show them that their efforts are appreciated.
Tackle Conflicts early
If you bring yourself into the equation and build your relationships with each team member, you will see conflicts brewing earlier. Then you can intervene earlier. Just don’t take side. Use the conflict as an opportunity. If there is a difference of opinion, then build on it and have a team discussion about the benefits and risks of each opposing opinion / suggestion and let the team decide what is best.
It is that easy
You can see with such simple means you can pull the team together, give them the boost they need and help them through tough times in the project. It starts with your attitude. Are you willing to give yourself and become part of it? Are you willing to go out of your way? Even if there is no official budget?
If you are willing to give yourself and become one of the team, while showing them that you have their back and respect them and their achievements, then you will keep their morale high.
Keep working on it!