{"id":1822,"date":"2023-05-10T16:23:24","date_gmt":"2023-05-10T16:23:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/project.co\/?p=1822"},"modified":"2024-11-22T14:16:46","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T14:16:46","slug":"improve-team-performance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/project.co\/improve-team-performance\/","title":{"rendered":"11 creative ways to improve team performance"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Team performance is a make-or-break factor for any company’s success, but let’s face it – boosting productivity and motivation can be a real challenge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don’t worry, we’re here to help you bring your team to new heights with some fresh and exciting approaches. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

From gamification to open communication, we’ve rounded up 11 innovative ways to supercharge your team’s performance and drive success. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let’s get started!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Training and development<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s often said that \u2018Knowledge is power\u2019 – and in many ways, effective training and development remain the cornerstone of outstanding team effectiveness and performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the most basic sense, it\u2019s important to equip your team with the knowledge and skills they need to carry out their role effectively. But it\u2019s also massively important to allow training time to help them grow towards their own ambitions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plus, training and development have been strongly linked to reduced employee churn and increased team productivity<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the most crucial components of employee training:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identify training needs:<\/strong> First and foremost, it\u2019s important to identify any knowledge\/skill gaps that are stopping your employees from excelling in the \u2018nuts and bolts\u2019 of their daily work. You can do this during regular (bi-weekly\/monthly) reviews and catch-ups. You might consider creating a sort of knowledge bank covering the common areas of uncertainty in your team, with \u2018on-demand\u2019 content to help them brush up on these areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identify training \u2018wants\u2019:<\/strong> When you have employees who are crushing it with their regular work output, it\u2019s important to keep them growing by asking what\u2019s next<\/em>? You can let the employee drive this process, identifying areas of passion and interest that they\u2019d like to push towards. Obviously, it\u2019s up to you how closely this should be tied to their existing role and the overarching goals of the business. There will be times when, to keep hold of your star performers, you need to be flexible on this, accepting that – ultimately – you will continue to enjoy the benefits of their skills by accommodating their long-term ambitions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Assign time:<\/strong> Regardless of whether you\u2019re able to allocate funds to your training programmes, make no mistake: the most precious resource when it comes to training is time. We recommend booking regular training time out in the employees\u2019 calendar – maybe a day, or a half day, every calendar month. Once this time is booked in, it needs to be respected. Don\u2019t let it slip away. Empower your employees to say \u2018no\u2019 to things that pop up and threaten to interrupt their training time, unless it\u2019s absolutely critical. If things do interfere, make sure they get that time back during quieter spells elsewhere in the month.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Expert Tip\n<\/div>\n
\n Make sure you catch up with your employees regularly – preferably on a one-to-one basis – to review their training and make sure they\u2019re working towards the objectives you\u2019ve set together. \n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

2. Set (and measure) goals<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We all know that goals motivate and encourage us to achieve more. There\u2019s no doubt that goals are a great way to improve team effectiveness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But still, people get goal-setting wrong.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re like a bunch of sheep, regurgitating talk of SMART goals – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-tied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But far too many people set goals that are beyond their control, because they focus on what they want to achieve<\/strong><\/em> rather than the actions of how they\u2019ll achieve it.<\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s illustrate this with an example. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re looking to get in shape. Clearly, \u201cGet in shape\u201d alone is a terrible goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, using the SMART philosophy, you might think a good goal would be: lose 10lbs in the next 8 weeks<\/strong><\/em>, right? That\u2019s specific, it\u2019s measurable, it\u2019s achievable, it\u2019s realistic and it\u2019s time-tied. So what\u2019s the problem?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, this goal doesn’t really focus on controllable behaviours and actions. It doesn’t specify the ‘how’ – and the ‘how’ is obviously a very important part of achieving your target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So really what you should be doing is asking what tasks<\/strong><\/em> you need to complete in order to \u2018get in shape\u2019 – or whatever your objective might be. So, in order to achieve \u2018X,\u2019 you need to do \u2018Y.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, your goal shouldn\u2019t be \u2018lose 10 lbs in 8 weeks.\u2019 Rather, you might say to yourself: \u201cFor the next 8 weeks, I will go to the gym 3 times per week, and exercise for 45-60 minutes at a time.\u201d<\/strong><\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is totally controllable, totally accountable – it\u2019s a simple yes or no question: did you put the time in, or not? The actual weight loss will take care of itself, based on you hitting your goals – which are fully<\/em> in your control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The golden rule: \u201cOnly set goals you can fully control.\u201d<\/strong> Check out our downloadable form to help you through this process<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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16 Professional Goals and HOW to Achieve Them in 2024<\/a><\/div>\n
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3. Incentivise performance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As committed as YOU are to improvement, there\u2019s no getting around the fact that this is a two-way street: improving team performance requires buy-in from the people in your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 34th President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower<\/a> once said something that cuts right to the heart of this issue: <\/p>\n\n\n

\n \u201cMotivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they<\/strong> want to do it<\/em>.” \n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Good employees are generally motivated to achieve and perform by a sense of professional pride, but there are times when they need to be given a tangible reason to up their contribution. This is where employee incentives come in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here\u2019s a question: what motivates the people who you\u2019re<\/em> relying on to up their game?<\/strong> What can you offer them that you know<\/em> will encourage them to go above and beyond your expectations? If you don\u2019t know, you need to find out. Bring the topic up with them in a one-to-one environment and encourage them to be as honest as they can. Some will be purely motivated by money, which is fine. Others will want to work less, enjoy social events, or simply be motivated by recognition from management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you understand what really pulls their levers, you can respond to this by offering appropriate incentives tailored to their unique characteristics.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Expert Tip\n<\/div>\n
\n Remember: incentives should always be tied to performance in a clear, measurable way. Otherwise you\u2019ll end up with \u2018expected\u2019 incentives which are awarded purely for people doing their jobs. This way, you\u2019ll still be paying out – but you\u2019ll miss out on any real performance boost.\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

You should also be careful not to \u2018overdo\u2019 incentives to the point where they lose their lustre. They work particularly well when you have a short-term need to boost performance – during a busy period, or approaching a firm deadline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Facilitate excellent internal communication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a simple, if unfortunate fact, that most people just aren\u2019t<\/em> great communicators. This is a real shame because communication between leaders and teams is fundamentally important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communication gives clarity<\/a>, builds trust and ensures direction of focus. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As much as you\u2019d like information to flow effortlessly around your team, this is pretty unlikely to happen automatically. Things will get missed, and important information will get lost, if you don\u2019t put systems and processes in place to facilitate excellent communication<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Statistic\n<\/div>\n
\n 75% of people have adopted a new tool to help them better meet their business communication challenges in the past 12 months.\n
\n Source: <\/strong>Project.co Communication Statistics 2024<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

There are two angles to this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, interpersonal; make sure you schedule one-to-one meetings<\/a><\/strong> on a regular basis, to get your people in a room with you, without an agenda, and ask how they are. Encourage them to be open and honest, and respond <\/em>to the issues they raise. Escalate where necessary; represent their interests in other parts of the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As business thought leader Gary Vaynerchuk says: <\/p>\n\n\n

\n \u201cToo many managers think that people are working for them; they don\u2019t realize that they should be working for their employees.<\/em>\u201d \n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

One-to-ones are an important opportunity to demonstrate that you work for your employees, winning their trust and fighting their corner. Listen more than you speak, and commit to resolving the issues they have. In doing so, you eliminate barriers to their full potential as employees. <\/p>\n\n\n

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4 ACTIONABLE communication strategies for happier teams<\/a><\/div>\n
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The second angle worth exploring is more general organisational feedback. Not everyone will be quite so forthcoming with their issues, so you might consider running anonymous surveys to unpack any significant issues. A simple tool like SurveyMonkey<\/a> will allow you to do this quickly and easily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put up a feedback\/suggestion board or simply go old school and have a suggestion box. Be aware that people aren\u2019t always comfortable vocalising their concerns or ideas \u2018out loud.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Make meetings productive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Isn\u2019t this just a continuation of the previous point? Well, no, it isn\u2019t. As we all have probably experienced – meetings don\u2019t always equate to communication! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The truth is, a frightening amount of time is spent – and often wasted – in unproductive meetings that we could all stand to cut out altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Statistic\n<\/div>\n
\n 65% of people<\/strong>\u00a0feel they regularly waste time in meetings\n
\n Source: <\/strong>Project.co Communication Statistics 2024<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

That\u2019s not to say meetings as a whole are a bad idea – quite the opposite. They can, and often do, add incredible value to an organisation, representing a hugely beneficial source of collaboration, creativity and innovation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But to avoid wasting time, it\u2019s always best to follow these simple pointers:<\/p>\n\n\n

\n – Ask: is the meeting really<\/em> necessary? Would it be as productive to discuss something by email or collaborate in a Google Doc, for example?
– Make sure to only invite people who need to be there. Control the invite list!
– Set (and stick to) an agenda to avoid the conversation drifting off-topic.
– Schedule less time for the meeting, and enforce the time allocated. Consider allocating 15 or 30 minutes instead of a full hour, and keep things focused.
– Ban phones and laptops from meetings to ensure everyone is on-topic.
– Set action points during the meeting and make sure everyone goes away with things to do.\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

There are a few ways to fundamentally rethink how you go about meetings in your business<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, you might choose to emulate Oprah Winfrey\u2019s approach to meetings<\/a>. Essentially she starts every meeting with a simple question: \u201cWhat are we going to come away from this with?<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result is that, rather than arbitrary \u2018catch ups\u2019 where you each brain dump what you\u2019ve been up to for the past while and nothing really gets agreed – you can end up with a single, high-value discussion point, that really helps move the business forward.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Discussion points might include things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow can we improve customer satisfaction?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

or\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat can we do to ensure Product A is launched as per the release schedule?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bottom line – you come away with action points<\/strong> based on quality discussions. Agreed ideas to improve things that matter within your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t have a single discussion point in mind, why not democratise the process? Let your team vote on the issues that matter to them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Effective project management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

High performing teams are made up of diverse, unique people who often have their own ways of working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is generally a good thing; it brings lots of new approaches and contributes to creative, inventive solutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it can cause problems, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you ever find yourself looking for a particular file, or a message, only to realise – after many hours – that it\u2019s locked away on somebody\u2019s desktop, or in their private inbox? (Bonus points if you realised this after they left the business, or just after they left on a 2 week vacation!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Problems like this are as annoying as they are frequent. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Statistic\n<\/div>\n
\n 55% of people<\/strong>\u00a0have missed messages as a result of communication issues in their business.\n
\n Source: <\/strong>Project.co Communication Statistics 2024<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Project management is all about getting everybody working on one system, with a single message stream, agreed timelines and tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using the right project management system<\/a> helps give managers important project visibility – with deliverables divided into \u2018tasks\u2019 tied to particular dates and assigned to specific people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"List<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It also gives one place for all internal and external communication, meaning that projects are organised and can be accessed and reviewed by whoever, whenever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Someone\u2019s off sick? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Someone leaves the business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No problem! With a project management system<\/a>, everything is stored in one place – optimising the sharing of information, reducing the need for customer repetition and ultimately leading to a simpler, easier experience for everybody.<\/p>\n\n\n

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7. Shared purpose, vision and culture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve already touched on the importance of motivation. But it\u2019s important to make the distinction that people aren\u2019t just<\/em> motivated to increase performance for extrinsic rewards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words – people aren\u2019t just motivated by money or success. We want our work to mean something.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea that our daily tasks don\u2019t exist in isolation, but really matter<\/strong> as part of a broad, noble purpose invariably motivate and inspire us to give our best, whatever role we play individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does your brand have a vision of the better world you\u2019re trying to create, and the role that each person has to play in that noble journey? If not, you might want to take some time to change this. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Culture is another bedrock of the modern workplace and can make a huge difference to your team performance (and morale.) It\u2019s often your core differentiator as an employer.<\/p>\n\n\n

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10 Proven Strategies to Build an Incredible Team Culture<\/a><\/div>\n
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If you don\u2019t already have a culture, and a set of values that describe that culture, defined, we recommend the below exercise which we\u2019ve undertaken for our own brands:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Get your whole team in a room. Encourage them to write down what they believe to be the behaviours\/attitudes\/beliefs that illustrate your team when it\u2019s at its best. Go through these. Isolate the ones that are most common, and enshrine them. Hang them around your office on posters\/artwork. They are your culture, and it\u2019s all the more powerful because it\u2019s been decided by people on the ground in your business.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Once you\u2019ve defined your culture in this way, you can embed it into every aspect of your business – hiring, onboarding, retention, performance reviews. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Give recognition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve already talked about incentivising performance, but while incentives can work, there\u2019s a more \u2018base\u2019 box to tick here: recognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Humans innately crave recognition. Again, we want to know that we\u2019re making a difference and that our work is appreciated\/noticed. Sadly, the majority of workers don’t receive this. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Statistic\n<\/div>\n
\n Only\u00a030%<\/strong>\u00a0of people say they\u00a0frequently receive recognition<\/strong>\u00a0at work. Almost\u00a020%<\/strong>\u00a0of people said they\u00a0never, or almost never, receive any recognition<\/strong>.\u00a0\n
\n Source: <\/strong>Employee Engagement Statistics<\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Recognition doesn\u2019t have to be complicated: try the personal touch. Send a text message or a private email to someone who\u2019s been pulling out the stops and tell them they\u2019ve been instrumental and their hard work is appreciated. You might be surprised at the response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Be flexible<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s always helpful to remember that the \u2018people\u2019 you manage are actually \u2018people!\u2019 We\u2019re all so busy at work, we can forget that each team member has a whole life<\/em>, just like us, with dozens of other things to balance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the dominant trends in our world of work right now is the demand for flexibility. And it\u2019s important to be aware of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to the rise of online tech and collaborative tools<\/a>, people are increasingly able to work whenever, wherever,<\/em> even across continents and time-zones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a big jump for many companies to consider, but flexible working in terms of hours and location are surprisingly easy to implement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can manage flexible hours in a simple spreadsheet to ensure everyone works up their contracted hours, and use collaborative tools – Google Drive, project management systems, etc. – to allow people to work from a location that\u2019s convenient to them. <\/p>\n\n\n

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10 Remote Work Best Practices to Keep You Productive (and Sane!)<\/a><\/div>\n
Working from home definitely gives you more autonomy over your environment. So try these top tips to keep you productive – and sane!<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Giving people flexibility over their hours and location will empower them to offer more to the team, increasing employee engagement and motivation. This kind of flexibility will help optimise retention, AND throw open your hiring criteria so you can hire from anywhere in the world. It helps you attract, and retain, great talent – which can only benefit your overall team performance over time, particularly when you\u2019re dealing with specialist skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Give great feedback<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Feedback is an essential part of continuous improvement, for all of us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a team leader it\u2019s vitally important to give quality<\/em> feedback on the work our teams do. This doesn\u2019t mean just telling them when they did a good job, or a bad job, but delivering both in a spirit of supportiveness and kindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Giving negative feedback isn\u2019t always the easiest thing in the world to do, particularly when you\u2019re trying to build positive working relationships. But just think of a time where someone gave you really constructive, critical feedback. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did it kill you? Did it make you hate that person? Of course not. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n <\/i>Our Insight\n<\/div>\n
\n Have the confidence to say when you don\u2019t<\/em> like a piece of work; invite them to explain their thinking, and be clear about your reasoning. The worst thing you can do is pretend work is amazing when it really isn\u2019t. That doesn\u2019t do anyone any favours.\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n

Peer-to-peer feedback can also be really valuable when delivered and received in the right way – for example during group\/team meetings where work can be critiqued and reviewed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Automate where you can<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If flexible working is one of the dominant trends in the world of work, then automation and AI is undoubtedly the other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understandably, there\u2019s a great deal of concern about how automation might impact human workforces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But there are a number of ways automation can massively<\/em> help human workers, freeing them up to focus on tasks and responsibilities that require a more human touch – boosting team efficiency and adding much greater value to the organisation as a whole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make no mistake – the limitations that have historically existed around AI have either been ironed out or are in the process. More and more SaaS companies are implementing impressive AI features<\/a> now, including us! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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