You’re a team leader with a new project. How can you inspire your team to success?

Recognizing and capitalizing on your team's strengths is essential for motivation and success. Identify the unique skills of each member, align tasks with their capabilities, and provide positive reinforcement to foster a motivated environment. Additionally, communicate the opportunities that the project presents, showcasing how individual and collective efforts contribute to its success. This approach ensures that your team feels valued, motivated, and aligned with the broader goals of the project.

To inspire your team for a new project, start by knowing your audience (your team members): Conduct a quick survey or team meeting to understand their: -Strengths and areas for growth -Concerns about the project -Preferred work styles Example: Maybe some team members are data whizzes, while others excel at creative brainstorming. Use this knowledge to: -Highlight how the project leverages their strengths -Address any anxieties -Propose a work plan that suits their styles By understanding your team, you can craft a message that resonates, ignites their passion, and unites them towards a successful project.

Don't start with the audience. Start with your message. What is it that people need to know, feel and do when you've spoken. Once you've got that then think about the people who are going to hear your message. By all means tailor your approach, your content and your delivery to your audience but you'll inspire no one by telling them what they want to hear.

I agree with Lakshmi, also find some common goals that everyone will buy into and reinforce success by highlighting positive examples from the Team each week on a Team call. Reinforce your commitment to the Team's success by getting to know each individuals strengths and weaknesses and help them to grow in those areas where they may not have the most experience. People will follow you if you are passionate, encouraging, and you really walk the talk.

Focus on two things: the outcome and them. Tell them where you want to go. "I have dream" is inspiring because it outlines a world in which we could live. That's what inspiration is, helping people to believe that they could live in a better world. Show them that world. And don't talk about yourself. Your language must be focused on other people. I know the speech is know as "I have a dream" but he used "we" twice as many times as he used "I". And the best line from it is all them and no me: “They have come to realise that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.”

A great question to ask is “What will they pass along?” After your speech, when someone asks them “So, what was the speech about?” what would they respond. Frame it from their perspective, using their words. The important aspect here is that they will always have an answer and that it will always be short. Getting clarity about what you *want* them to respond is important because without it, you’re essentially delegating the task of choosing the takeaway to them. If you have clarity about the pass along phrase, you can craft your talk to inevitably lead to that message.

Sometimes, I've found the "imagine if" perspective to get people excited about a project. Imagine if our stakeholders could easily find answers and we'd get less complaints/questions. Imagine if all these resources were at our fingertips everyday...things like that. Then turn it over to how we're going to get there and how their roles support that. Clarity on roles within a project can also inspire others - as they know what they need to do!

Demonstrate how the project outcomes can align with and benefit the team’s members individual professional goals. Each individual will strive for more dedication in the project if they see how it benefits them directly.