What do you do if your team in Strategic Communications lacks motivation and collaboration?

Assessing the situation is a very important process in your quest to motivate them. You would want to fine out their current state. The cause of the disconnection. Use the findings from the situation analysis to design an approach that will get them motivated and excited about work

In this case I suggest to first start by identifying the underlying causes by facilitating open and honest communication through team meetings or one-on-one sessions. You can offer support and resources to address the challenges and identify the opportunities for improvement, before taking further steps.

A motivated, collaborative team is key to successful strategic communications. When a Strategic Communications team lacks motivation and collaboration, here’s my approach: a) Open Communication: I encourage open dialogue to understand their concerns and aspirations. b) Recognition: I acknowledge their efforts and achievements, boosting their morale. c) Team Building: I organise team activities to foster camaraderie and trust. d) Clear Goals: I ensure everyone understands their roles and the team’s objectives. e) Empowerment: I empower them to make decisions, fostering a sense of ownership.

La falta de motivación y colaboración en el equipo puede ser causada por objetivos poco claros, falta de reconocimiento, un ambiente laboral negativo, mala comunicación, falta de desarrollo profesional y falta de confianza en el liderazgo. Para cambiarlo, es crucial establecer objetivos claros, reconocer y recompensar logros, promover un ambiente positivo, mejorar la comunicación, ofrecer oportunidades de desarrollo y liderar con confianza y transparencia.

After the assessment, I encourage you to reinforce the team's purpose and goals, highlighting the impact of their work. Introduce team-building activities to strengthen relationships and improve collaboration. Provide clear, achievable goals and recognize individual and team achievements to boost morale. Implement regular feedback loops, allowing team members to express concerns and suggest improvements. Adjusting leadership style to be more inclusive and participatory can also empower team members, fostering a more motivated and collaborative environment.

Creo que delegar y empoderar al equipo es fundamental para el crecimiento y la eficacia organizacional. Al delegar responsabilidades, se distribuye la carga de trabajo de manera equitativa, lo que permite aprovechar las habilidades individuales y fomenta el desarrollo profesional. Además, al empoderar al equipo, se promueve la autonomía y la toma de decisiones, lo que aumenta la motivación y la satisfacción laboral. Esto también estimula la creatividad y la innovación, ya que los miembros del equipo se sienten más comprometidos y responsables de los resultados. Para mi es fundamental ya que no solo libera tiempo para los líderes, sino que también fortalece al equipo y promueve un ambiente de trabajo más colaborativo y motivador.

A great means of encouragement is to highlight the potential impact of their efforts. When the team realises how vital their work is to the organisation's functioning and its pursuit of its ultimate goals, they feel empowered and valued. Employees must be able to visualise how much change their efforts can bring to the organisation and their effort and performance-linked growth trajectory within the organisation to increasingly more potent and rewarding roles. Each member of their team must be able to visualise the causal chain of influence of their work on the firm's performance and their own growth in terms of scope and ambition with reasonable clarity.

In my experience, one of the quickest way to ease your team into a collaborative effort is by working together on strategies, programs etc using shared online documents. The process starts with the team leader clearly spelling out communication objectives and challenges and then leaving the floor open for the team members to play with their inputs. It allows everyone to be on the same page while demonstrating their individual skills and creativity. A leaders should, however, regularly monitor these ideas and be generous with positive feedback. I have seen this strategy work wonders along with regular brainstorming sessions where the team is encouraged to think freely in an uninhibited and fun environment.

I am big on celebrating - challenges, progress, success. Share it verbally but also think creatively. I love handwritten notes but there are also fun ways to acknowledge the team work. Coffee. Pay Day bars. Posts on social media (if they are ok with that). And brag to others in the organization - don’t keep it a secret.

When it comes to communications, there is a wide range of areas for growth and professional development. It’s important to identify the interest areas of your staff and help them build their skills in those areas. For example, I once had a staff member who was very keen to do photography and video. I talked to him about best practices and trends and encouraged them to read up on the topic as well. From there, I entrusted him with the equipment and let him cover a smaller event. He bloomed and his attitude shifted-in fact, he ended up being our resident photography expert. It’s all about helping people find their passions and nurturing them.

If faced with a lack of motivation and collaboration in Strategic Communications, I would first seek to understand the root causes by openly communicating with team members. Following some dissecting of the root causes, working to foster a supportive and inclusive environment would be top of mind; setting clear goals and providing opportunities for shared successes. For most this would mean implementing regular check-ins, recognizing individual contributions, and facilitating team-building activities can also help reignite motivation and foster collaboration. Ultimately, it's about cultivating a culture of trust, empowerment, and teamwork to drive positive change and achieve collective goals.