In this time of economic
hardship and corporate downsizing, it can be difficult to get the best out of a
team when everyone is feeling a little stretched to their capacity.
It can be quite
challenging to ask a group of people to take some time out of a busy schedules
to attend a 'team building workshop'. So instead, take a look below at
some quick and easy ideas that you can implement to help improve your team's
motivation and performance.
GET TALKING: A common feature of under-motivated teams is that they seldom have a
chance to talk about reoccurring issues. Make sure that you host a
regular team meeting at least every two weeks. This way your team can
feel that they have an opportunity to discuss issues that are important to them.
LITTLE FUN GOES A LONG
WAY: Injecting a little bit of 'play' into the
workplace can have a huge impact. A quick quiz, lateral thinking puzzles,
games or an icebreaker can give your team a chance to relieve stress and
improve relationships with their colleagues. It can be really effective
to partner people with co-workers that they don't normally work with, as this
can help build relationships and allow people to see each other a fellow human
being...not just as a job title.
GIVE PRAISE: Remember that catching people doing things right from time to time
and acknowledging people for their contributions is a powerful way to make
people feel appreciated.
ALLOW AUTONOMY: Give people and teams the opportunity to make decisions for
themselves. This will help a team to become more responsible for their
tasks and give your team a greater stake in delivering strong results.
HOLD A WORKSHOP: Have team members plan and deliver a workshop around a relevant
workplace subjects. This can ensure that important skills and knowledge
are shared throughout the team, allowing people to improve their understanding
of key aspects of the business.
SURPRISE SOMEONE: Similar to giving praise, this can be a very powerful way to
formally recognise a member of the team with a special thank you or an
award. This can send a very powerful message to the entire team that
demonstrates how their contributions are noticed and appreciated by the
organisation.
DO SOMETHING OLD,
SOMEWHERE NEW: It is amazing how powerful a
new space can be. If you have a regular meeting in the same office, it
can easily be transformed by having the meeting somewhere else. In a
local coffee shop, in a local park or even in the another meeting room can
enliven the participants and make the meeting more enjoyable for all.
USE COMMUNICATION
GUIDELINES: Think about how you can improve
team communication by using communally agreed 'rules' that can help people know
what ways the team can improve their relationships. Examples can be: only
replying to an email on a certain subject a limit of three times before you
have to call the other person, having a time limit to team meetings (no longer
than 90 minutes), no emailing anyone with 9 feet of your desk (except when
sending a report), banning email for an hour each day, etc. These types
of agreed guidelines can encourage team spirit and help improve communication
skills.
FOOD: Never underestimate the power of biscuits, sweets and chocolate.
