Managing your team is no easy task. Many people find themselves in situations where they are required to lead. As we all know, not everyone is born a leader. That doesn’t mean you can’t be great at team management! Those with a specific set of skills are more likely to be strong and successful leaders. It takes lots of drive, continuous improvement and of course great execution of every task.
Today, I’ll be highlighting 5 very important things you should integrate into your management techniques to keep your staff happy and to reach peak productivity:
1 – Set Goals Instead of Deadlines
This is an important note to remind you of the psychological importance of things you say. Therefore, by working on “goals” with your team instead of “deadlines”, you’ll avoid any negative connotations associated with regular or repetitive tasks. This will lift pressure and help to complete things “on time”. You don’t want your team rolling their eyes over each new task. Repetitive tasks or tasks with (let’s call them) unnecessary deadlines can make your team unwilling to continue or give it their best. To sum it up, a goal is something we aspire and look forward to achieving. Whereas a deadline only feels like a big weight on your shoulders burdening you instead of driving you to accomplish the task.
2 – Establish Expectations
Here’s where we can elaborate on the previous idea. Setting goals should manifest itself through a clear vision of how and when you’re supposed to reach the finish line. Create a clear and realistic timeline for the tasks your team has. Set up your daily, monthly, and annual goals clearly for everyone. Always be sure that everyone is on board with their expected performance. This will help eliminate the confusion and increase moral for your team!
3 – Visualize How Each Contribution Makes a Difference
This tip is all about painting the picture of success. Do this by explaining and showing how each team member plays a role in reaching a bigger and more long-term goal. Team members will be more motivated to accomplish a task and will feel achieved when they do! Allowing your team members to feel directly responsible for the success of the whole team has the power to keep a person motivated and on track. They say “talk is cheap”, and when it comes to team management, it’s true. Achieving small daily and monthly goals is much more effective for team moral that telling someone what to do all day!
4 – Appreciate Attaining Milestones
Feeling appreciated in the workplace is really important. Having your achievements recognized, rewarded even, plays a big role in keeping productivity up! That is why you should always remember to show your appreciation and gratitude for the effort that each of your team members puts in. Here’s a blog that explains how to properly appreciate employee performance!
5 – Lead by Example
The importance of this last tip is self-explanatory. For a person to lead they must perform as the role model for their team. Imagine taking advice from someone who doesn’t take their own advice… Simply put, it’s the same premise with team management. One cannot preach what they don’t practice. If you’re arriving late, not controlling your nerves in critical situations, not sticking to your own calendar, how can you expect your team to be focused on the goals you set? Setting the right example, proper practices and conduct should always go without saying. However, you should always check in to reflect on if you are following the ethics and the standards you are imposing for the team.
To conclude, for you to ace your role as the manager of a department or a team, you should remember to stay consistent, clear, and accurate. Reward achievements and keep an open channel between you and each of your team members for consistent communication. Lastly, keep your team feeling acknowledged and lead by example to boost team productivity!
