10 ways to motivate your team

ARE you sending out the right vibes? Does your team feel gung-ho all the time? Do you take it upon yourself to keep them happy?

As a manager, it is your duty to motivate your team. These 10 rules can help you calibrate your motivation skills, and make you go the extra mile to keep your team motivated.

*Emphasise and exploit their strengths. Downplay weaknesses (you need to know their strengths and weaknesses first!)

*Empower them. Encourage them to be self-motivated and to set and achieve their own deadlines.

*Show interest in learning about their desires and aspirations. Don't keep assigning work that they don't find challenging or interesting.

*Never threaten. Fear erodes team morale and encourages bickering.

*Maintain a good demeanor. Your moods influence and adversely affects employee performance

*Arrange activities like mind games, out-bound activities, competitions and non-work related activities, instead of only giving them deadlines to keep their adrenaline high.

*Joke with them, and engage in small talk. Be their `friend'. Listen to their personal problems and empathise.

*Never undermine the importance of monetary rewards. Recognition and praise can also do wonders to employee morale.

*Don't say or do anything that will wreck a person's self-esteem. Don't make them feel small in your company.

*Show them scope for advancement in terms of growth and responsibility. Don't be caught up in meeting your own targets and forget theirs in the process

*Team morale depends largely on the rapport that associates share with their boss.In addition to this, if you can provide security in terms of job enrichment, opportunity and financial returns, your team won't ask for more!

ARCHANA JAYAKAR