Improving team performance
For many businesses, a little planning and a few straightforward processes and the solution to improving team performance. So if you want to get your people to achieve more, and feel better about doing so, it could be simpler than you think.
Even the most finely-honed, icy-cool team has room for improvement. It doesn’t matter whether it’s composed of cogs and gears, or people working together – no machine can run at 100% efficiency (but you can certainly aim for it!). Some of the best businesses in the world rely on common-sense systems to improve team performance, and we’ve collected them for you here.
Look at your working environment and culture
The members of your team need to feel comfortable and happy, and that they can express themselves openly and honestly. Take the time to watch how your staff interact with one another, and address issues where body language and tone of voice could cause conflict or poor morale. It might sound cheesy, but the feel-good factor is crucial to improving team performance.
Know your team
What makes your staff tick? Here’s a clue – it might not be all about the money. Every member of your team is an individual, so if improving team performance is your aim, you need to understand the people whose performance you’re trying to improve. Makes sense, doesn’t it? Identifying everyone’s strengths, weaknesses and hot buttons means you can find ways to inspire them rather than using a generic “go, team!” speech that nobody will take seriously. And being taken seriously is ESSENTIAL if you want to be a strong leader.
Set realistic goals
Nobody likes to feel that too much is being asked of them, so don’t assume that giving your team an enormous workload equates to improving team performance! Splitting a large goal into more manageable objectives can provide your team with a sense of achievement and progress, and this, in turn, will motivate them to achieve more.
Stay in touch with your team
Don’t just tell your team what you want from them, and leave them to their own devices for a month. If they feel that you don’t care about what they’re doing, they could quickly become demotivated, and the consequences won’t be pretty. Instead, schedule time for regular “keep in touch” meetings. Provide timely feedback on how everyone’s progressing, and look for particular examples of things that have been done well.
Improving team performance takes motivation and commitment all round, but once you’ve got the ball rolling in the right direction, it can pick up a surprising amount of momentum. Just make sure you’re on hand to steer it when it needs a little correction!
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