Hello September… and hello fall!! Back-to-school, extracurriculars, and pumpkin spice latte season is upon us!
The summertime buzz is ending and the return of gloomy weather (at least here on the West Coast!), shorter days, and end-of-year fatigue can create low energy and lower motivation amongst team members.
This transitional period back to regular routines is also a great opportunity for leaders to reinvigorate their teams moving into Q4. Here are three key tips to help you energize and realign your team for the end-of-year push!
Revitalize
- Reconnect to Purpose: Leaders who continually reinforce and connect the team’s work to purpose foster a sense of meaning and connection to the organization’s goals and remind team members why their work matters.
- Tie Work to Values: By encouraging team members to express what matters to them personally, show how their values tie in to the organization’s values and therefore their work, and how their roles contribute to exemplifying those values with their team and customers, you will revitalize their commitment.
- Celebrate Achievements: Recognize past successes and link them to future objectives to energize and re-energize team members.
- Foster Social Ties: Promote collaboration and team cohesion by emphasizing social bonds and shared experiences.
Relate
- Embrace Vulnerability: Leaders create psychological safety by being open, and honest. Acknowledge failures and encourage team members to do the same to turn setbacks into valuable learning experiences.
- Examine Wins and Struggles: Encourage the team to reflect on what has been working so far this year and any challenges and breakdowns. Identify what to keep doing more of to gain further success and how to address breakdowns to adapt your approach.
- Listen to Understand: Ask curious questions, actively listen to team members, and seek to understand their perspectives. Use the information your learn to address any engagement issues, drive actions that will motivate the team, and reaffirm commitment to working together collaboratively.
Refocus
- Assess Goals and Align Priorities: Help the team regain focus by revisiting goals set earlier in the year and align the team on key priorities. In times of fatigue and uncertainty, it’s crucial to keep the team focused on what will have the biggest impact to the business in Q4 and all moving in the same direction.
- Effective Communication: Over-communicate rather than under-communicate. Leaders who step into having difficult conversations avoid future conflicts. Solicit feedback to engage in open dialogue and address concerns promptly.
- Strategy Session: Conduct regular strategy sessions to ensure everyone understands the objectives, reasons behind them, and the path to achieving them.
- Simplicity and Clarity: Encourage the team to consider what can be done better, what can be let go of, and what truly matters for achieving meaningful work.
Your biggest impact as a leader is setting a clear vision, aligning the team to that vision, and removing the roadblocks your team faces. Implementing these tips is a great way to make this slower season as effective as possible!