How to Motivate Your Team and Get More Done

Ever had a project that seemed like it’d never end? We’ve all been there, and it can put a real damper on team morale.

So how do you motivate your team to give their best to the work that still needs to be done? These 5 tips can show you how to fuel your team’s fire so you can cross the finish line faster together.

Listen to episode 5 of Time Limit for even more motivational tips:

Set clear goals

It’s hard to push for the finish line if you don’t know where it is. So do your team a favor by drawing a clear target they can aim for.

At TeamGantt, we set quarterly objectives and key results (OKRs) so everyone knows what they need to accomplish to help the whole team succeed. If someone needs a little nudge, try dialing the bar up or down for extra motivation.

Share your mission

We spend lots of time talking about the who, what, when, where, and how of a project. But how often do you explain the why?

Everyone wants to know they’re part of something bigger. So tell your team what’s on the other side of the work they’re doing. Knowing who’ll be impacted by it can motivate your team to rally together to accomplish the mission at hand.

Praise a job well-done

When it comes to motivating your team, money might burn brighter, but praise fuels the fire longer. It’s easy to get so focused on what’s wrong that you forget to recognize what’s right—but that’s where the motivational magic happens.

Pay attention to the work being done, and give voice to the good stuff. Brag on your team’s wins in front of their leaders and your clients. Find the person who’s eyeball-deep in a project, and tell them what a great job they’re doing.

Be present

As a project manager, you may think your best work is done behind the scenes. But the truth is, your presence is a powerful tool for boosting team morale.

Showing up for your team can be as simple as sending a weekly email or sharing a funny video at the end of standup meetings. Or it might mean hanging out with the crew for a late-night work session to play music and order pizza, just so they know you’re there in the trenches with them.

Create a culture of friendship

You’re always eager to help out a friend, right? Imagine fostering that same spirit of generosity among your team. When team members get along, they’re eager to jump in to get the job done. You don’t have to ask them twice.

Schedule time for a little team fun so relationships have room to grow. And be intentional about hiring the right people—not just for the job, but also for the team.

An easy way to work smarter

Like the tips you see here? There’s more where that came from on our podcast! Subscribe to Time Limit today, and get exclusive access to productivity and project management tips you can digest on the go!