Managers, supervisors, and team leaders need to understand how communication and recognition can help motivate members to have better attitudes and be more productive. There are many ways to motivate team members to build a better team and increase individual and group performance.

Ten possible ways for managers, supervisors, and leaders to motivate their team with little budget and resources are presented for consideration that may not require approval from higher-level management. Most ideas can be implemented simply through a change in responsibility or the way the manager or leader communicates with the team and encourages the group to grow.

1. Be positive and set a good example for the team.

2. Share project and business information openly with the team.

3. When possible, let them work through their conflicts, but be prepared to resolve negative conflicts and bad situations before team morale is damaged.

4. Provide feedback for improvement when needed in a positive and thoughtful way.

5. Show appreciation for the work they do by using different methods to reward the group and members.

6. If you don’t understand the team’s request or a member’s idea, ask for clarification or examples.

7. Actively listen to team complaints, ideas, and improvements.

8. Let the team evaluate their leader and suggest ideas for improvement to help them build respect, trust, and confidence in their leader.

9. Show confidence in the team by supporting their work and their needs.

10. Conduct regular team evaluations with members on group performance as a way to increase awareness of what is right and identify opportunities for improvement.

By selecting from these ten ways to motivate teams, the team leader, supervisor or manager can implement a strategy to build the team and also improve individual performance. All that may be necessary is to change the way the manager, supervisor, or leader communicates and fosters potential team growth, as well as for members to accept responsibility for their progress. The result should be better team member attitudes, better group behaviors, and increased work productivity.

NOTE: Also see the list of articles for “Ten Ideas for Rewarding Teams and Members”, “Evaluating Team Performance and Determining Training Needs”, “Eleven Responsibilities of Great Team Leaders and Sponsoring Managers” and ” Give your teams the gift of productivity. “