In a perfect world, all projects would go smoothly with no hassles. All deadlines would be met every single time. All team members would be always 100 percent focused and aware of all project details. There would be no communication breakdowns, and all products would be delivered to market at lightning speed.
Unfortunately, the world is not perfect. But as a product manager, there are things you can do to keep your team focused and ensure all projects go as well as they can.
Maintain and sustain good relationships with your team members
Maintaining good relationships with your team members, will logically, help whenever a project goes through a bumpy road. When problems arise, people tend to get stressed and temperamental; good product managers work hard to keep their team focused on resolving the problems. They should also sustain good relationships amongst team members – this helps makes problem-solving a faster process, as everyone would be more confident that other team members can help find solutions.
Boost morale by nurturing a positive attitude
Effective product managers have the ability to remain cheerful and think positively during the course of a project. Such an attitude is contagious; team members are likely to follow their team leaders and use this positive energy to keep projects moving forward at a steady pace. Keeping positive attitude does not simply entail thinking positive thoughts and smiling. It is about learning to be aware of signs for things that could potentially cause problems and taking the steps calmly to handle them right away. This will also encourage team members learn to recognize problems while they are small and easy to resolve, which contributes to a more positive environment.
Appreciate your team’s accomplishments
Keep team members engaged by recognizing their accomplishments. Team members feel more encouraged when they know their work is appreciated. Receiving a personal thank you message from the project leader will motivate them to contribute at their best.
Remind team members what they are here for
If your team members are under pressure, they may forget why they are working on a project, and how much they cared about it at the beginning. Help your team members maintain focus on the project by reminding them of their personal objectives. Remind them that they are also gaining valuable things out of it, whether it’s a new skill or a new experience. By being ensured that they are gaining value and contributing value to a project, team members will have a higher morale and more focus throughout the project.
We want to know: How do you boost morale and keep your team focused?