Always start with yourself; to motivate others you have to be motivated yourself and should look for positives in all situations. As a role model, if you are energetic and inviting your team will have confidence in you and will follow willingly.
Share the information you have about SFI, advertising tips, etc and give your team a sense of ownership. It is their team; they should know the circumstances and limitations surrounding the team. This can lead to team members coming up with good suggestions as well.
Always appreciate your team members, even the small tasks that result in the leader saying ‘thank you’ can make people strive harder for appreciation. While communicating, choose your words wisely; be humble, use words like we instead of I.
Provide feedback in a positive manner; give them what was done right, mention the shortcomings and how the team can do better. Be a part of the team when there is blame to take but end your feedback on a positive note.
Listen to your team members talk; give them your ear from time to time and really listen. Be available via email, cell phone or skype for their questions and/or concerns.
Always support your team, give them confidence and give them opportunities to fulfill your confidence. It is imperative that you tell them you are there to support them in case they are stuck.
Not everyone can handle every job. As a leader it is up to you to pick the right person for the right job; ie; to be a team leader themselves, because while an under confident member can gain loads from successfully achieving his goal, failure has a huge negative impact on morale. Focus on your movers, but do not leave out the rest of them team.
Let your team be creative. Your team’s productivity is likely to go up if you let them try out their ideas, as long as it has something to do with the goals at hand.
Give them something fun to look forward to. Offer gifts, or gift certificates, prizes, etc when they have advanced or reached a particular goal.
Encouragement goes a long way within a team and individually. When someone does well, be generous in your praise. An email to recognize a good idea, a pat on the back for a quick delivery or praise in front of the team or team leader is an excellent way to tell them they are appreciated.
Spot the motivators (movers) within your team; there are individuals that put a spark in the atmosphere, they are active and they compel others to show the same energy without ever saying it. If you have a good motivator prioritize his goals and pass other, less motivated team members his/her way so some of his/her energy can motivate them.
Brainstorming sessions produce some great ideas and when they are one on one they show your team members they are considered important. Along with importance should come responsibility so give them roles they can fulfill according to their capabilities and interests. Brainstorm via phone, skype, conference calls monthly.
Give your team members smaller achievable goals. This gives them the freedom to do things their way while letting them gain in confidence as well as motivation to do the best they can.
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Always start with yourself; to motivate others you have to be motivated yourself and should look for positives in all situations. As a role model, if you are energetic and inviting your team will have confidence in you and will follow willingly.
Share the information you have about SFI, advertising tips, etc and give your team a sense of ownership. It is their team; they should know the circumstances and limitations surrounding the team. This can lead to team members coming up with good
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