\n\tBy Brad Karsh<\/p>\n
\n\tIt is no easy task to motivate, engage, and involve your team, and it certainly doesn\u2019t happen overnight. Even today\u2019s most prominent business tycoons admit the most difficult part of their job is managing and leading their people. Take the late Steve Jobs, for instance. Jobs obviously made extraordinary contributions at Apple, but he spoke openly about his struggles in his role as CEO. Jobs learned from mistakes, and his analogy for what builds strong businesses was spot on:<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cMy model for business is the Beatles. They were four guys who kept each other\u2019s negative tendencies in check. They balanced each other, and the total was greater than the sum of the parts. And that\u2019s how I see business. You know great things in business are never done by one person. They\u2019re done by a team of people.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tWhile there is no algorithm for building and maintaining all-star teams, there are a few strategies you can employ to improve the engagement of your team and, in turn, your bottom line:<\/p>\n
\n\tAsk! <\/strong>What better way to find out exactly how to motivate, engage, and involve your team than to simply ask? You may be surprised. What motivates one person may not work for another. Customize your approach to engage every team member.<\/p>\n \n\tDefy the golden rule.<\/strong> It isn\u2019t about treating people the way you want to be treated. It is about treating people the way they want to be treated. Learn how individuals on your team like to communicate, and adhere to their preferences.<\/p>\n \n\tGive credit where credit is due. <\/strong>Everyone on your team wants their contributions to be recognized and appreciated. Simply say, \u201cThank you!\u201d Your behavior will be contagious, and the habit of \u201cthanks\u201d on your team will make everyone feel valued and vested in the business.<\/p>\n \n\tSet small milestones.<\/strong> Everyone enjoys achieving goals and celebrating success. If you have a big annual goal, set monthly milestones that can keep your team motivated and connected to the goal. Figure out a fun incentive that will inspire everyone to reach those monthly checkpoints.<\/p>\n \n\tEmbrace change and new ideas.<\/strong> Archaic, bureaucratic practices stifle creativity and innovation. Encourage and implement new ideas from your team. Remember: If you always do what you\u2019ve always done, you\u2019ll always get what you\u2019ve always gotten.<\/p>\n