๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐โ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐บ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ท๐๐๐ "๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑโ
If my team are disengaged, I wouldnโt start with surface-level solutions like team lunches or pep talks. Iโd take a deeper look at how Iโm leading.
Hereโs what Iโd do instead:
๐ญ. ๐ฆ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐
๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
Low motivation often stems from low expectations. Many new leaders are hesitant to set the bar high, worried they'll come off as unrealistic or demanding. But when we play it too safe, we create the opposite of what we want - disengagement and boredom.
Teams donโt want to coast. They want to grow. If your team never says, "I'm not sure I can do that..." then you're probably not challenging them enough.
High expectations, communicated clearly, give your team something meaningful to work toward.
๐ฎ. ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐น๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ
Once expectations are high, support needs to be high too.
That means:
โข Regular, constructive feedback
โข Positive reinforcement
โข Close enough supervision to know where people are succeeding or struggling
If someoneโs not meeting expectations, Iโd ask:
Do they need clearer instructions?
Do they need more training?
Do they lack resources?
Support and accountability go hand in hand. One without the other leads to frustration or failure.
๐ฏ. ๐ฆ๐๐ผ๐ฝ ๐๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐ถ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฏ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ๐บ
A disengaged team often has a leader who quietly (or not-so-quietly) takes over when things get hard.
Iโve seen it, and Iโve done it. The instinct to jump in and "save" the team can feel helpful, but it kills ownership and engagement.
So Iโd stop:
โข Catching their mistakes before they learn from them
โข Taking back responsibilities Iโve delegated
โข Giving all the answers instead of coaching them to find their own
โข P.S. If youโre making decisions your team should be making (even if they ask for your input), itโs micromanagement.
๐ฐ. ๐๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ ๐ง๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฆ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ
Not everyone will thrive in a high-performing team. And thatโs okay.
Iโll do everything I can to help people get thereโthrough clarity, coaching, and support. But if someone is unable or unwilling to meet the standard, I canโt keep lowering the bar for them.
Keeping underperformers on the team sends a loud message to your high performers: discretionary effort doesnโt matter here.
If I want a motivated team, I need to protect the environment that creates one.
