1. Make sure you’re setting a good example of productivity and cheerfulness.
Don’t let your own mood distract others from their work.
2. Develop your listening skills.
This means using active listening to its fullest potential, not just pretending interest.
3. Be clear about the purpose of the job and the big picture of the company’s mission and goals.
Make sure everyone knows the big picture and where their team and individual jobs fit in.
4. Don’t let your personal likes and dislikes blind you to who is actually productive on the job.
Be fair.
5. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
If you have a good worker who is frequently 10 minutes late, let them know that you expect them to be on time, but don’t belabour the point if their work is otherwise above average. Employees are human beings with strengths and weaknesses, not worker robots.
6. Set goals and reward the staff when the goals are achieved.
The reward can be as simple as a personalised post-it note stuck to their screen.
7. Be open, friendly, and professional with your ‘team’.
If they are high performers they deserve to be treated with respect.
8. Make it an atmosphere where doing a good job is recognised and appreciated.
9. Encourage communication among people who have to work together.
Employees, peers, mentors, family, friends etc can have great ideas – listen to them and if the idea is good implement it.
10. If you have a problem ‘team member’, do not avoid the problem.
Talk to that person and make sure they know what they’re doing wrong, as well as what they’re doing right. Make a plan (PIP) to correct problem behaviours. If the person will not or cannot improve after several performance meetings, and it is in your power to do so, terminate their employment. It is very demoralising to others if someone else on the team isn’t pulling their weight.