3 tips for Engaging your Team

You spend so much time with your team. You share what you're thinking with them, you discuss what you want for your customers and you talk to them about their performance. Why does it seem like they are not playing in the same game you are?

It's natural for us to expect the same from our team as we do from ourselves, and this tends to lead to frustration when others fall short. What can you do to help your team "get on the same page" as you (without repeating yourself thousand times)?

1. WIIFM

What's In It For Me - your success is not their top priority. We are fundamentally self centred beings as we try to keep ourselves safe before anything else. That's why its a bit hard to expect someone to take a (perceived) "risk" for you / your business. You should prepare for your discussions by thinking about what is in this for them. Will they benefit financially from this new process? (eg. bonus), Will they learn something?, Will they feel good about doing this? If you know your team well you know what drives them and you should be able to do this very well without too much preparation.

2. Get their input - what decisions can the team genuinely be involved in making for this process. Note that it is more harmful to pretend you are using their input and then making your own decision. Trust is fundamental to an open and honest relationship with your team, so ensure that you are humble and genuine in how they can contribute.

3. Speak their language - Listen to the way your team talks and then use their words to communicate your ideas. Matching their language level or style closely can create rapport (and trust) and help to get the team on board. People like people who are "like" them. Again, you need to be authentic and genuine here as if it is perceived as mocking it will have the opposite effect.

I look forward to hearing how these tips work for you in communicating with your team. Comment below to share how you went, I love to hear how you're going.