You’re having trouble keeping your team motivated and engaged. What can you do to turn things around?

In one of our project review meetings, I initiated a discussion about the broader implications of our work on the nation. By illustrating how each team member's seemingly small and routine tasks not only contribute to the company's success but also play a significant role in benefiting the entire country, I aimed to help the team see the bigger picture. The idea is to help your team see and understand the substantial impact of their contributions on the greater good. Feel free to include it in your team agreement ??.

Ideally, you've fostered a culture of trust and candor within your team so that it's easy to have individual conversations with team members to understand the root cause. Are they burnt out? Are personal things going on? Is someone on the staff butting heads with someone else? Is it a process issue causing frustration? Based off those answers, you can determine next steps. Furthermore, you need to find out how they like to be motivated. For instance, I worked somewhere where they rewarded us with things like branded notebooks, etc. and I found it extremely infantilizing since that's how I was rewarded in middle school by teachers. You need to know your audience, not be tone deaf to your team's needs and how they respond.

To revitalize team motivation and engagement, prioritize open communication to understand individual concerns and aspirations. Foster a supportive environment by acknowledging achievements and providing constructive feedback. Empower team members by involving them in decision-making and goal-setting processes, promoting a sense of ownership. Implement regular skill development opportunities to enhance professional growth and job satisfaction. Encourage collaboration and recognize contributions to strengthen team cohesion. Offer flexibility when possible to accommodate personal needs. Lastly, lead by example, demonstrating enthusiasm and dedication to inspire and energize the team.

The initial step in resolving any issue is gaining a deep understanding of its underlying causes. Avoid making assumptions about your team's sentiments and thoughts; instead, actively seek their honest feedback and attentively listen to their concerns. Determine the factors contributing to demotivation or disengagement, whether it be workload, deadlines, expectations, rewards, culture, communication, or other aspects. By pinpointing the root cause, you can implement more targeted and effective solutions, demonstrating genuine care for your team's well-being and fostering a positive work environment.

If you're struggling with team motivation or engagement, there could be an underlying issue that is impacting psychological safety or belonging. This could include recent transitions, like mergers & acquisitions, layoffs, and reorgs; acts of marginalization or exclusion; or external factors like uncertainty in the market, politics, wars, and cultural marginalization. If one or two people on your team are disengaged or unmotivated, have 1:1s with them. Ask them how they are doing and deeply listen. Talk with them about how you can support them and offer them time off if appropriate. If your whole team is feeling disengaged, you may have work to do to (re)build trust and safety. It starts with one conversation at a time.

This should be the next step only if the root cause is that your team is disconnected from your vision. Otherwise, your next step is to listen to what they are experiencing and then work together on solutions. Team members can become disengaged if they don't understand how their work connects to the overall vision and team goals. Make sure you are communicating this in annual reviews and checking in on this during your 1:1s. Most inclusion or engagement surveys will measure this, so be sure to look at the results of your surveys.

A common vision (that is clear and adopted by all the team) gives meaning to actions and enables individuals to have a sense of initiative and be more innovative, as a vision guides ideas in one common direction, which make it easier to evaluate and promote ideas that serves the common goal and the common good of all involved. Driven by the common vision, all team members will have a sense of what needs to be done, how it can be done better or more efficiently or what stands between the team and that common vision, which makes their minds focused and ideas on that vision.

I once had a communications chief who gathered all the team's newcomers (including me) and presented to us his top 10 values. Most of them made us understand his vision for leading a team. I still remember that meeting's impact and effect on forging our team under his leadership. I wrote this to encourage leaders to share their vision with their team, either by presenting it in person or by posting it on online shared portals or even physically in shared workspaces.

Teams often experience a decline in motivation and engagement when they lack a clear understanding of the bigger picture or the purpose behind their work. As a leader, it's crucial to consistently and transparently communicate your vision and goals. Remind your team of the significance of their contributions and how their work directly impacts the success of the business and serves customers. Ensure alignment between individual and team goals with the overarching vision and strategy, and regularly acknowledge and celebrate their achievements. Effectively communicating your vision fosters inspiration, encouraging your team to share in your passion and direction.

To provide effective feedback, focus on specific actions and their outcomes, using data and observations rather than subjective opinions. Remember, feedback can be perceived differently by individuals, so maintain a respectful and professional tone. Consider the "sandwich method" cautiously, ensuring the constructive portion is genuine and specific. When offering feedback, prioritize clarity and conciseness in your language. Offer actionable solutions and suggestions for improvement. Furthermore, frame feedback as a two-way dialogue, encouraging the recipient to ask questions and share their perspective. This approach fosters collaboration and ensures understanding.

Boosting team motivation and engagement involves consistently offering constructive feedback and recognition. Feedback guides the team in skill enhancement, learning from mistakes, and professional growth. Recognition communicates appreciation for their efforts, results, and contributions, fostering team confidence, satisfaction, and loyalty. Ensure feedback and recognition are specific, timely, relevant, and sincere. Encourage a two-way feedback loop, inviting insights from your team to enhance your leadership effectiveness. This approach creates a positive and supportive work environment, driving continuous improvement and collaboration within the team.

This reminds me of a wonderful quote: “Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.” - George S. Patton

Micromanaging erodes trust and stifles team morale. A more effective leadership approach involves empowering your team by fostering a culture of autonomy and creativity. Delegation, coupled with adequate resources and support, enables team members to take ownership of their work. Trusting your team to deliver their best promotes motivation, engagement, and enhances productivity and innovation. This shift from micromanagement to empowerment creates a positive work environment, where team members feel valued and motivated to contribute their best to the collective success.

Fostering collaboration and communication is integral to cultivating a cohesive and high-performing team. As a leader, you must promote a positive and inclusive team culture that values open dialogue and mutual support. Providing the right tools and channels further facilitates effective communication, enhancing the quality and efficiency of the team's work. Modeling the desired behaviors and values reinforces the importance of collaboration, encouraging team members to work together seamlessly. A team that communicates openly and collaborates effectively not only strengthens internal relationships but also builds trust and rapport with external stakeholders, contributing to overall success.

Make time for team bonding experiences and opportunities to network and socialize with peers. This not only fosters collaboration and builds mutual trust, it also helps team unwind and build relationships, which ultimately ensures the team is happy, connected and motivated.

Maybe celebrating small wins together , ideating together, candid feedback open hours where people can feel free to share feedback directly or being anonymous can help change the moment!