Bring Out the Best in Your Team During the Hardest Times
As a leader it’s up to you how criticism and praise are
filtered through the organization and the culture that follows. You have the
power to encourage or discourage. You have the power to motivate or demotivate.
You have the power to develop your people or hold them back. All this power is
an awesome responsibility that you shouldn’t take lightly, especially in times
of high-stress and uncertainty.
With the cards you are currently dealt, how can you bring
out the best in your people? There is always an opportunity to leverage their
talents, experiences and abilities. Remember, most people want to do a good job
and to be recognized for their contributions (even more so when things are
tumultuous) as long as there is solid trust in the organization and its
leadership. They want to feel good about what they’re doing, want to know
they’re making a difference, and want the ways they’ve been flexible and
resilient during this time to be acknowledged. If you can create a culture in
which all this is possible, you will reap the rewards of a better workplace,
better results, better you and quicker recovery.
Here are three steps to bringing out the best in your
people:
Challenge them. In a sense, caring for your
employees is not unlike caring for children. Employees feel the most valued
when they’ve been empowered to understand their strengths and talents, develop
those innate and acquired abilities, and eventually excel at them. Plus, people
are simply wired to expect and look forward to challenges.
When they’re not put to the test, problems surface: Your
staff members not only get bored or restless, but they eventually feel
unappreciated, undervalued or simply ignored. This leads to low job
satisfaction and eventually turnover.
When you’re properly leading your people and focused on
their professional development, it’s in your best interest to cultivate ways to
challenge your staff members effectively. Pay careful attention to the fact
that people enjoy being challenged in different ways and that what worked in
the past to achieve this may be different than what it is now. A person who thrived
on getting involved in a group projects at the office might appreciate setting
lofty individual performance goals or the opportunity to learn a new skill
working remotely.
Recognize them. The #1 reason people leave a
workplace is because of lack of recognition. Someone could have the best
benefits in the world, but if they’re not being effectively thanked and
spotlighted for how well they’re doing, particularly for specific vs. general
achievements, it’s simply not enough.
Research shows some interesting insights on the type of
recognition that’s effective. Regular peer-to-peer recognition — specifically,
a dedicated, implemented program for support — does more overall good than
occasional, generic kudos from the top (although the latter helps, too).
Recognition that encourages everyone to spot good deeds and
appreciate success creates a culture that’s rich with oxytocin, the “love
hormone.” The more of this hormone that’s flowing from one individual to the
next (e.g., kind gestures that acknowledge good work), the more everyone feels
good, connected and attached both to others and the company that’s supporting
this culture. And the good news? This can certainly be implemented virtually.
Reward them. Money may “talk,” but there are
other types of rewards that seemingly “shout” that you understand and truly
value an individual. Some people really want and need extra time off. Many
companies have offered additional time off during COVID-19 for parents who are
left without daycare options or in-person learning. Some might jump at the
opportunity to take on additional responsibilities at work — a prestigious
project of some sort, for example. Meanwhile, others might relish a gift
certificate or charitable donation in their name. Ask questions to find out who
they really are and what they value in terms of reward. In addition to the
recognition you provide, a customized approach to rewarding your people will go
a long way in terms of reinforcing a job well done and boosting retention.