What does it feel like when you walk next to team members as you enter your building? What is your team’s energy level when you log onto a team video call or walk into a team meeting? As you pass others in the hallway, overhear conversations, and observe your team members perform their work, do they look and act excited and energized, or do they look tired, frustrated, or numb? Your team members’ view of their individual and collective work sets the tone for your entire organization, and it establishes how productive or unproductive your organization will or won’t be.

Your team members’ view of their individual and collective work sets the tone for your entire organization, and it establishes how productive or unproductive your organization will or won’t be.

If your team has recently experienced an unexpected shake-up within their ranks, they’re going to have feelings about the shake-up. They may be happy about the change, or they could be devastated.

If your team is experiencing an unprecedented demand for your products, they may be working crazy hours and scrambling to creatively keep up with demand. Your team may be energized by the strong demand, or they could simply be exhausted.

On the other hand, if your team has been lulled into complacency by the consistency of what they do, they may be numb because they’ve reverted to operating on auto-pilot. They’re no longer interested or actively engaged. They’re just going through the motions without thought, care, or intent.

Whatever their mood and whatever their reasons for their moods, your team members’ individual and collective feelings are their feelings. They’re real and they do impact your team’s ability to focus, communicate, and perform. Their individual and collective outlook on their work environment shapes their attitudes, their behavior, and their performance levels. What is often overlooked, is their perception of your view of their work and workplace also matters. They want to and need to know you see and feel what they see and feel. From their perspective, if you’re not aware of what their reality is, you can’t and won’t address the needed changes and you won’t intentionally support what is working. If they aren’t sure you’re focusing on their work world, they aren’t sure you’re managing their workplace and their reality. From their perspective, that’s your job, and they’re right.

If they aren’t sure you’re focusing on their work world, they aren’t sure you’re managing their workplace and their reality. From their perspective, that’s your job, and they’re right.

It doesn’t take much to show your team you care about them and their workplace reality. Talk with them about the unexpected team shake-up. Openly address their concerns. Talk with them and acknowledge their right to their feelings: happy, sad, angry, shock, fear, or devastation. Share what you can about the shake-up, but then assure them you’ll continue to make yourself available to them to help them mentally grapple with the team change as you and they move forward. If they’re struggling to keep up with demand, show them you appreciate their dedication, creativity, teamwork, and stamina. Thank them in ways that are feasible for the company but that will matter to them. Simple acts of recognition such as individualized notes and thank you’s or gifts, team breakfast, lunch or dinner parties, and small bonuses go a long way. If your team has become lulled into complacency or boredom, it’s past time that you dedicate time to talk with them and share what you’re doing to stimulate business and learn what ideas they have to reignite energy, excitement, and their engagement.

If you’re not tuned into and responsive to how your team is feeling and behaving, you’re not doing your job. If you want your team to stay engaged, energized, and excited to be a part of your organization, you need to stay engaged with them. Let them know you’re aware of their moods, their feelings and their realities. The more they know you care, the more they will.

If you want your team to stay engaged, energized, and excited to be a part of your organization, you need to stay engaged with them.

Copyright MMXVIII – Liz Weber, CMC, CSP – Weber Business Services, LLC – www.WBSLLC.com +1.717.597.8890

Liz and her team work with leaders to create focused plans for their organizations’ future. Then they work with the leaders to ensure their plans are implemented effectively.