When a team’s performance is lacking and you just can’t seem to find a way to motivate them to do better, it can be tempting to push harder. If I just keep pushing, things are bound to change eventually, right?
This strategy might seem effective in theory—like a football captain hyping his team up when they’re behind—but it hardly produces healthy, long-term results. If anything, it shows your team that you are not invested in learning what works for them.
Through active listening, leaders can not only understand the employee experience and how individual employees work best, but also motivate their teams internally in a way that’s productive and sustainable.
This article offers advice for leaders who want to see long-term improvements in their team’s performance, engagement, and well-being.
Best Practices for Achieving Sustainable Productivity
Reframe Perceived Negativity Into Valuable Feedback
As a leader, it’s never fun to hear complaints. Even when the grievance isn’t directed at you, it’s easy to get defensive. This makes it harder to problem-solve, as even the slightest perceived threat can put us in fight or flight mode and suppress rational thinking. But if we are able to reframe complaints as valuable feedback, we can use them to our team’s advantage.
Example: When you hear a complaint, try saying to yourself, “I’m grateful that they feel empowered to express their true feelings about this situation. They are creating an opportunity for us to find a solution that will benefit the whole team.”
Acknowledge and Validate Employee Experiences
The next time you hear a complaint, resist the urge to characterize it as a negative experience. Instead, apply active listening to understand its origin and to acknowledge and validate the experience of the employee expressing it. By doing this, you will create a safe space for your team to communicate and collaborate.
Example: “I hear that you’re feeling exhausted. Let’s talk about what’s driving that and how we can address it.”
Create Venues for Open Communication
When employees don’t have an outlet to voice their frustrations, feelings are more likely to come out in unproductive ways. To get the most valuable feedback, create an environment where employees feel safe to share challenges consistently and openly without being labeled as negative.
Example: Regularly ask, “What’s working well? What has been challenging? What can we adjust?”
Shift from “More” to “Better”
Rather than simply demanding more output, try focusing on optimizing work processes in a way that keeps employees engaged. Deepen your understanding by asking open-ended questions about each team member’s work flow and how they could be more effective.
Example: Ask employees, “What’s one thing slowing you down that we could improve?”
Recognize and Reward Effort, Not Just Outcomes
Similarly, it’s important to recognize when your employees are working hard, even if the results aren’t immediately visible. By showing regular appreciation for your team, you will motivate them to sustain their effort. Alternatively, employees who don’t feel valued can lose incentive to try at all.
Example: Consistently and publicly acknowledge effort and progress, not just big wins.
Model and Encourage Sustainable Work Habits
Promoting breaks, reasonable work hours, and mental reset opportunities can prevent burnout and foster sustainable productivity. Modeling these behaviors yourself lets your team know that self-care is a real priority, not just a nice-sounding but unattainable concept.
Example: Normalize taking breaks and self-care by letting your team know when you will be doing these things for yourself.
Align Productivity with Purpose
By helping employees connect their work to a higher purpose—from the company’s mission to their personal goals—you encourage them to tap into their intrinsic motivation. Nurture this through one-on-one meetings with employees, so you can work together to stay connected to a greater purpose.
Example: “Your contribution to [specific project] is helping us move closer to [mission-driven goal].”
Exercise: “What’s Working, What’s Not?”
Through the following exercise, leaders can ensure their employees feel heard while gaining real-time insight into workplace challenges.
1. Gather the Team: In a team meeting or one-on-one check-ins, ask employees to anonymously or openly share two things:
- One part of their work that feels draining or unsustainable.
- One part of their work that energizes them and keeps them engaged.
2. Identify Themes: Look for common patterns in what’s draining the team, such as:
- Unclear expectations
- Overlapping responsibilities
- Communication gaps
3. Collaborate on Solutions: Instead of dictating your own solutions, engage employees with open-ended questions like:
- “What adjustments would help reduce this challenge?”
- “How can we do more of what keeps you energized?”
4. Take Action & Follow Up:
- Implement one or two small changes based on feedback.
- Check in after a few weeks to see if the changes made a difference.
Conclusion
Remember, while pushing harder may be your first response to subpar performance, it isn’t a sustainable approach. When you loop your team into problem-solving, you not only uncover better strategies for productivity, but you also show that you value their opinion, building trust and boosting engagement.
Recent Comments