Make Raving Fans of Your Team

Who stands behind you?

For entrepreneurs and visionaries, nothing is more important than the people who help your dreams become reality. Your team is everything. And you want to have the right people by your side.

It’s not enough that your team is good at what they do – they need to believe in your vision, champion your cause, and work not just for themselves, but for the collective success of the project.

This is how real leaders take their team from hum-drum employees to raving fans:

7 Ways to Inspire True Team Enthusiasm

#1 Cast the Vision

“Vision casting” is a bit of a buzzword concept, but the idea behind it holds true. Your team needs something to believe in. Are you making your vision and your mission clear to the people you encounter? You need to be as clear and enthused about what you do with your team as you are when pitching it to would-be investors.

Your team needs the assurance and security of knowing where they are heading and how they’re going to get there. That doesn’t mean no surprises or changes. What it does mean is that the principles you follow and the goals you pursue are consistent and reliable.

#2 Trust Your Team

You hired your team. You want them on your side. So trust them. Nothing makes a team resent their leader more than feeling as though their every move is monitored, their work is second-guessed, or that they are anything less than a valued part of your business. Don’t be so afraid of someone dropping the ball that you don’t allow people to do their work effectively. Start with trust. Revoke it only when you have good reason to.

#3 Give Them Tools

In a position of leadership, you are responsible for giving your team the tools they need to flourish. You want to equip your team to be the best while they’re with you, but also for when they move on to new things. Facilitate an environment in which your team feels like they’re progressing personally and professionally.

If they need tools to work more effectively, invest in them. If your team would benefit from a retreat, take the plunge. Be a resource and a support for team development, period!

#4 Compensate Fairly 

As much as we want to put passion in front of compensation, fair compensation is a key part of the equation on multiple fronts. For one, fair compensation allows your team to feel valued and secure in their job. The more they can afford basic needs and the less they have to worry about finances, the less stressed they will be. Less stress means better employees.

Fair compensation also shows your team that you value them, their experience and skill, and their time. It means you’re willing to invest in them and that you believe in your vision enough to pay fairly. This helps with retention and overall loyalty. The last thing a leader needs is a team that resents them!

#5 Set the Example 

If you want raving fans, you have to be the number one fan. Do you approach your work with enthusiasm and high standards? Or are you prone to complain? Sure, we all know that entrepreneurship is not a promenade through the roses. That doesn’t mean we allow ourselves to show our frustrations. Instead, turn difficulties into opportunities for innovation. When you approach problems like a puzzle to be solved rather than an obstacle to overcome, you inspire others to do the same.

Be aware of how you present yourself to your team, how you talk about the work, and how – most importantly – you accomplish it.

#6 Invest Often

Investing in your team isn’t just about seminars, new software, and company retreats. While personal and professional boundaries are important to establish, a personal interest in your team is key in forming real relationships. These real relationships set the stage for trust and loyalty. It’s not hard, either.

Know your team by name and remember special dates in their lives, like birthdays and anniversaries. Ask about their partners or children. Ask about their hobbies and ambitions and be thoughtful with that information. It shows that you care about your team as people, not just as cogs in your machine.

#7 Champion Transparency

In leadership, we often fear transparency not because we have something to hide, but because it makes us vulnerable. However, transparency with your methods, thoughts, and struggles – as well as some of the inner workings of the business – helps your team know where they stand and what you really need to be supported. Trust your team to support you rather than exploit your weaknesses.