7 techniques to motivate your team members

You can motivate your team members externally or internally. External motivation relates to the working environment. However, internal motivation relates the interests, aptitudes and dreams of your team members. Here you shall find seven critical motivational techniques to get the best out of your subordinates.

1- Reward and Punishment

It is the most popular technique being used by the managers. It mobilises motivational energies in the team players. The reward can be in the form of special promotions, salary increases or words. However, excessive use of this tool may create jealousy amongst your team and disturb the working environment. 

Fear of punishment also plays an important role. You need to be careful here too, create a balance.

2- Setting of Goals

Setting of well-defined goals helps your team members to do their best. Set meaningful and justified deadlines to get the project finished within time. You need to work at two levels. First, set your objective. Second, divide that objective into goals and sub-goals.

3- Advisory Techniques

No one is perfect. Being a team leader you must always be ready to offer advice when your team members face a stumbling block in their performance. Encourage them to improve their weaknesses and continue with what works for them.

4- Praise and Criticism

This motivational technique is similar to 'reward and punishment' technique. A word of praise or criticism will have definite results upon your team. However, like rewards and punishments, this technique should also be used carefully. Sometimes your team members will do better with criticism and at other times they will stop working.

5- Success and Failure

To motivate your team members, you should analyse their successes in open and failures in your office. Most people like to continue doing what is working for them. Don't try to change their style unless you find them failing to achieve the goals that you have set for them.

6- Competition

It is the strongest motivational technique to get the best out of your team members. You can use this technique very effectively when combined with setting of efficient goals. Competitive circumstances will help your team members to perform their best.

7- Interests of Team Members

Do you know what interests your team? Find out their interests and entrust them with tasks that they love to do. It will increase both their efficiency and the speed of the project on the other. Random allocation of tasks may not be too helpful.

What about team building activities?

Have you considered taking your team out for a day of team building activities in Gauteng? Why not contact Idle Winds’ conference co-ordinator to find out what type of team building activities in Johannesburg we can arrange for you!