Boosting team engagement may seem like a daunting task, but in reality, this powerful shift in your team's morale comes from the little things. Skills you can practice and improve on over time. I once had a manager who would come around spontaneously when he just had a feeling someone on the team felt off, which required a lot of paying attention on his part. When that affected team member was me, I remember him coming down from his office, leaning in, and asking if I had something on my mind. When I expressed that I did, he would take the time to sit and check in with me. Showing that he cared enough to take a bit of time out of his day to talk things out with me, listen and make sure I was doing well went a long way in my mind. This is exactly what your team needs from you.
Observe
Observing your team consistently will help you be able to pick up on the shifts and changes in their overall morale or individual productivity. You want to be sure your people know that you see them, hear them, and value them. The easiest way to do that is to simply just pay attention. Give them the opportunities to tell you what they need from you and come to you when needed. Have an open door policy and also provide them with chances to voice their ideas and opinions while being open with you. Notice their work ethic and reach out to them if you ever see a change. When we struggle within our personal lives, it tends to cross over to our professional lives, whether we like it or not. A lot of those factors will be things unsaid, but with daily observation, you can very easily pick up on them.
Recognize
Recognition also goes a long way. I have said it many times before, and there is no limit on how much recognition you can give your team members. Meaning, don’t limit yourself to just showing appreciation for one team member a week. Show it when you see it, and if you pay close enough attention as I mentioned above, it will be pretty often. Those who show up for you day in and day out, continuously provide excellent work, and contribute to the organization’s overall well-being and success deserve a shout-out.
Equalize
I can recall a previous manager of mine who really made me feel like I was his equal - a partner - and not beneath him. Treating your team members as equals who are just alongside you on this career journey, will really resonate with them. It’s all about practicing caring leadership and learning how to course-correct with love. I still have people to this day who reach out to me because I took the time to really listen to them when I was their manager and care about things instead of just what work they were doing for me. We may all be in different stages of our career, but we all have the same goal that we can achieve together.
Reflection
As a leader, in order to effectively grow and develop your team, you’ll need to play to the strengths of each team member and the collective by engaging with them often. Observe your people, recognize and appreciate their forthcomings, and treat them as equals. That begins with knowing not only your own strengths, but also the strengths of each person on your team. This can help you regain your focus in the new year and better use these 3 powerful ways to boost team engagement.
