Motivating your employees is much more than team building exercises. When you are thinking about how to motivate team members, an often overlooked tool you have in your leadership kit is the power of effective delegation.
If properly used, it pays tremendous dividend towards the success of your business.
What Motivates a Team to Work and Perform Well?
There are several reasons why a team or individual member can be motivated to work and perform well. 4 key ones include empowering with responsibility, promoting skill development, providing recognition of achievements, and encouraging collaboration
Empowering with Responsibility
One of the key ways delegation motivates team members is by empowering them with responsibility. When they are entrusted with meaningful tasks and decision-making authority, it ignites their sense of ownership and motivates them to perform at their best.
Keep in mind that delegation is NOT the same as assigning individuals with mundane tasks.
How does delegation do this? It does it through:
Increased autonomy
Team members are given greater autonomy in their work. They have the freedom to make decisions, exercise their judgment, and take ownership of their delegated tasks. This autonomy fosters a sense of empowerment and motivation.
Heightened trust and confidence
Delegation demonstrates trust in team members’ abilities and competence. When people feel trusted, they no longer “second guess” their skills and capabilities. Their confidence improves leading to increased motivation to excel in their delegated responsibilities.
Development of leadership skills
Opportunities are provided through delegation for team members to develop and enhance their leadership skills. When leaders delegate tasks, they empower staff to step up, make decisions, and take charge. This not only motivates them but also cultivates future leaders within the team.
Increased likelihood of team success
Delegating important tasks shows team members that their contributions are essential for the overall success of the team. This understanding instills a sense of purpose and motivates them to work diligently to achieve the team’s goals.
How to Motivate Your Staff – Promote Skill Development and Growth
Delegation plays a very important role in fostering skill development and personal growth for your employees or team members. It provides them several opportunities through
New responsibilities and learning of new tasks
Team members can take on new challenges and expand their skill set. By entrusting them with unfamiliar tasks, leaders provide avenues for learning and growth, which in turn motivates individuals to acquire new competencies.
Increased exposure to new experiences
Delegated tasks often expose team members to diverse experiences and different aspects of the work. This exposure broadens their perspectives, enhances their understanding of the organization, and encourages them to explore new ways of problem-solving and decision-making.
Mentorship and guidance
Delegation provides an opportunity for leaders to act as mentors and guides. By offering support, feedback, and coaching throughout the delegated tasks, leaders facilitate the growth and development of team members. This mentorship is what motivates individuals because it demonstrates a commitment to their success.
Career advancement opportunities
By delegating challenging tasks and projects, leaders identify high-potential individuals and provide them with opportunities to showcase their abilities.
This can serve as a steppingstone for career advancement. This recognition and exposure can propel team members’ careers forward, keeping them motivated to excel.
How to Motivate Team Members – Recognitions
Recognizing and rewarding achievements resulting from delegation efforts is essential for motivating team members. Acknowledging their hard work, dedication, and successful outcomes reinforces their motivation and sense of accomplishment. This can be done by:
Celebrating milestones
Celebrate the milestones and achievements of team members who have successfully completed delegated tasks. Publicly recognize their efforts, acknowledge their accomplishments, and commend their contributions to the team’s success. This recognition boosts morale and motivates others to perform well.
Providing constructive feedback
Offer constructive feedback to team members on their performance during the delegated tasks. Highlight their strengths, areas of improvement, and lessons learned. This feedback helps individuals understand their progress, motivates them to further develop their skills, and fuels their drive for continuous improvement.
Providing opportunities for visibility
Enable team members to showcase their delegated work and accomplishments to a wider audience, such as in team meetings, presentations, or project reviews. This visibility not only recognizes their achievements but also establishes their expertise and enhances their motivation to excel in future tasks.
Providing individual rewards and incentives
Consider individualized rewards or incentives to recognize exceptional performance resulting from delegation. These could include bonuses, promotions, special projects, professional development opportunities, or other forms of recognition tailored to each team member’s preferences and career aspirations.
Encouraging Collaboration
Delegation can be a powerful tool for fostering collaboration and teamwork within a team. Non – cohesive working teams can be the downfall of any business. There are 5 ways in which you can encourage collaboration:
How to Motivate Team Members – Create shared responsibility
Delegating tasks creates a sense of shared responsibility among team members. When individuals are accountable for specific tasks, they understand the interconnectedness of their work and how it contributes to the overall team objectives.
This shared responsibility fosters collaboration and motivates team members to support and rely on one another.
Encouraging knowledge-sharing
Delegation encourages team members to share their knowledge and expertise with one another. As tasks are delegated, team members can collaborate, provide guidance, and share insights to help each other succeed.
This exchange of knowledge enhances team cohesion, builds trust, and increases motivation through collective learning.
Cross-functional collaboration
Delegating tasks across different functions or departments promotes cross-functional collaboration. When team members from various backgrounds and skill sets work together on delegated tasks, it leads to diverse perspectives, innovative solutions, and a richer team dynamic. A collaborative environment motivates individuals by offering new opportunities for growth and learning.
Team recognition and rewards
In addition to recognizing individual achievements resulting from delegation, leaders and business owners must acknowledge and reward the collaborative efforts of the team.
While doing so, they should highlight the collective successes, teamwork, and challenges that may have arisen from the exercise. This recognition reinforces the value of collaboration and motivates team members to continue working together effectively.
Conclusion – What Motivates a Team
High functioning teams are the engine of every successful business. By learning how to motivate team members, delegation becomes a powerful motivator for individuals and the team as a whole. Effective delegation not only enhances performance but also cultivates a positive and motivated work environment.
Take the time to learn how to use this powerful tool. We run half-day sessions if you need assistance. CONTACT US TO BOOK
