Some leaders think their job is to drive their team members to hustle. They think that they’re there to remind their employees to outsmart their competition and work them to the ground in order for the company to succeed.

These leaders forget that their team members have their own reasons for working and for staying with the organization. Sure, they were hired to do a job, but they have personal motivations as well, which must not be swept under the rug.

Have you ever bothered to find out what your employees’ goals and aspirations are? Every good leader must know these things. It’s what will help pull up every member of your team, as well as the company.

These motivations are what leaders should bank on to encourage their employees to become contributors to the growth of their organization. Otherwise, they will seem like slavedrivers who don’t care about their team members’ well-being.

How can you work with your employees in order to become a winning team? Let’s look at five ways.

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Emphasize the value of team success

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Employees often think that their work doesn’t make a difference to the team or organization, but it almost always does. You need to remind them of that.

Remind your team members of the value of their contributions by associating their actions with team success. Show them how a win for each member is also a win for the team.

They will learn to value their work and position more if they see how their contributions affect the team’s success. Remind them how they can achieve more if they make sure the team keeps winning.

Allow them to practice

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In order for your team to win, you have to ensure that they have the right opportunities to hone their skills. Otherwise, it will be harder for everyone to achieve the team’s goals.

How can you make it possible? Invest in external resources that can sharpen their minds and help them grow. Internal training will also be effective.

When you see any skill-building events that you think your team will benefit from, take it up to management to see if you can send your team members there. Not only will you help them improve their performance, you will also motivate them to contribute more to the team’s success.

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Focus on small wins

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Often, employees think that they have to shoot for lofty goals at work. When they fall short, they might end up frustrated, and can bring the team down with them.

This can affect their motivation. Psychologically, big challenges will not encourage employees. Instead, they’ll feel daunted and defeated.

Make your team members recalibrate their goals and shoot for small wins instead. By focusing on these easier challenges, you’ll ensure that they’ll keep progressing and that they’ll stay motivated to work for larger goals.

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Keep close relationships with your team

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Leaders underestimate the positive effects of having strong bonds with their team members. If employees feel like you are invested in their growth and success, they’ll be more motivated to work towards the success of the team as well.

You need to form relationships with your team members if you want to build a winning team. When your employees know that they’re valued as persons beyond what they contribute to the organization, they’ll be more motivated.

Show your team members that you care about their goals, and want to help them strengthen their skills and get over their weaknesses. It might just ignite a new passion in them.

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Reward their efforts

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Every contribution counts. A little positive reinforcement will go a long way, so always recognize your team members’ efforts, however big or small.

It’s important to focus on the work they did rather than the person themselves. This will show them that their performance is valued and will motivate them to take on bigger challenges in the future.

By reinforcing the value of hard work, you will show your employees what makes them and the team successful. Recognizing their contributions will make them more eager to work hard for the growth of the team.

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