You’re leading a team through a difficult project. How can you keep them motivated and productive?

Leading a team through a difficult project can be challenging, but also rewarding. You have to balance deadlines, expectations, resources, and personalities, while keeping your team motivated and productive. How can you do that effectively? Here are some tips to help you.

1 Communicate clearly

Communication is key to any successful project, but especially when the project is difficult. You need to communicate your vision, goals, expectations, and feedback to your team regularly and clearly. You also need to listen to their concerns, questions, and ideas, and address them promptly and respectfully. Use the appropriate channels and tools for communication, such as email, chat, video calls, or project management software. Avoid ambiguity, jargon, and assumptions, and make sure everyone is on the same page.

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Martin Buckland

Executive Resume Writing and Executive Job Search Coaching ✍️ Global Career Matchmaker for Executives, the International EMBA Community, Mining Leaders, & Sloan Fellows ✍️ Thought Leader & Speaker on Career Management
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Exemplary, collaborative leadership is crucial during situations like this. Never drop your authority as a leader, but the more you blend into the teams activities the better. Be there for them morning, noon and night for support, guidance and venting. Listen to their concerns, encourage ideation and opinions. Provide praise and acclamation, backed by a free lunch, chocolates or other gifts to keep motivation and productivity high. Host a success party at end where everyone can salute the accomplishment and let their hair down.

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Brenda Ferreira

Recrutadora l BPO de RH l Especialista em Análise Comportamental l Mentora de Carreira l Palestrante l Top Voice LinkedIn em RH, Recrutamento e T&D l Headhunter l Jobhunter l Analista DISC l DHO l Consultora de RH
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Liderar uma equipe em um projeto desafiador requer habilidades de motivação e gestão eficazes. Comunique-se de forma clara e transparente, compartilhando a visão do projeto e o impacto do trabalho de cada membro, reconheça e valorize o esforço e as contribuições individuais, incentivando um ambiente de colaboração e apoio mútuo. Ofereça feedback construtivo e oportunidades de desenvolvimento pessoal, incentivando o crescimento profissional da equipe. Esteja sempre disponível para ouvir as preocupações da equipe e resolver quaisquer obstáculos que possam surgir, demonstrando empatia e apoio.

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Asha Biradar

Co-founder #entrepreneur #independent Consultant#Certified Child & Adolescent Counselor at NHCS, Singapore#Ex-IBM
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Let's delve into a psychological viewpoint. In challenging times, people bond together - as the adage goes, nothing unites humans more than pain and love. It's crucial for exam team members to grasp that the project's completion hinges on everyone's contribution. Each member's strengths combine to form a unified force and energy, fostering collaboration, high engagement levels, and ultimately, success, thus crafting an enriching experience.

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2 Empower your team

Your team members are more likely to be motivated and productive if they feel empowered and trusted. You can empower your team by delegating tasks and responsibilities, giving them autonomy and flexibility, and encouraging them to make decisions and solve problems. You can also provide them with the necessary resources, support, and guidance, without micromanaging or interfering. Recognize their strengths and skills, and let them use them to their full potential.

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Daniel Guevara Davila

MBA | Plant Administrator | Operations | Strategy | Management
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Durante un proyecto difícil, lo mas importante es que el equipo vea el Norte del proyecto. Con este conocimiento recién se puede empoderar para que vean si sus acciones autónomas contribuyen con este destino. Otro punto muy importante es mostrar los avances que tenemos de lo planeado "a la fecha". De esta manera un proyecto grande y difícil no se ve inalcanzable sino algo que vamos realizando por partes y poco a poco se ven los resultados.

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3 Celebrate milestones

A difficult project can seem overwhelming and endless, which can lower your team's morale and energy. To avoid that, you can celebrate milestones and achievements along the way, and acknowledge your team's efforts and progress. You can set realistic and measurable milestones, and track them with your team. You can also celebrate them with rewards, recognition, or feedback, depending on what your team values and prefers. Celebrating milestones can help your team stay focused, motivated, and confident.

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4 Foster collaboration

A difficult project requires collaboration and teamwork, not competition and isolation. You can foster collaboration by creating a positive and supportive team culture, where everyone feels valued, respected, and included. You can also facilitate communication and cooperation among your team members, by using tools and methods that promote collaboration, such as brainstorming sessions, peer feedback, or co-creation. You can also encourage your team to share their knowledge, skills, and experiences, and learn from each other.

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5 Manage stress

A difficult project can cause stress and burnout for you and your team, which can affect your motivation and productivity. You can manage stress by prioritizing and organizing your tasks, setting realistic and flexible deadlines, and avoiding overcommitment and multitasking. You can also help your team cope with stress by providing them with resources and support, such as wellness programs, counseling, or coaching. You can also model healthy behaviors, such as taking breaks, setting boundaries, and practicing self-care.

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Piyali Bhattacharjee

HRCI - SPHR Certified - Head of People | Accorian | Talent Strategy | Talent Development | Organisation Culture
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Difficult project means stress, apprehensions and uncertainty. The best way to take the team alongwith and sail through the project is to - 1. Have a clear crafted milestone 2. Celebrate milestones and recognise folks 3. Communicate, communicate and communicate 4. Conduct risk assessment and take preventive measures to address uncertainty and stress

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6 Ask for feedback

Feedback is essential for improving your performance and your team's performance, as well as for learning and growing. You can ask for feedback from your team members, your stakeholders, your clients, or your peers, depending on the nature and scope of the project. You can also give feedback to your team members, to help them improve their skills, correct their mistakes, or praise their achievements. You can use feedback to adjust your plans, strategies, or actions, and to identify areas of improvement or opportunities for development.

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Siddarthi Nagappa (She/Her)

Senior HR professional || Winner Jombay HR40under40-2023 || OD certified by TISS and ODA|| HRBP Head|| DEI lead || Strategic HR planning|| Talent Management
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Collaborative mindset with synergistic thinking will help to keep the team motivated and productive through the project... ensuring team work towards common objective , having transparency and practicing 4Cs- communication, cooperation, coordination and celebration will take this project to sucess

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Gustavo André Mota

|Psicologia| |Servidor Publico|
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Para manter a equipe motivada e produtiva durante um projeto difícil, priorizo a comunicação aberta e transparente, compartilhando regularmente informações sobre o progresso e os desafios do projeto. Reconheço e celebro as conquistas individuais e coletivas, incentivando um ambiente de apoio e reconhecimento. Estabeleço metas claras e alcançáveis, dividindo o projeto em etapas menores para manter o foco e o senso de realização. Ofereço suporte e recursos necessários para ajudar a equipe a superar obstáculos e crescer profissionalmente. Além disso, mantenho uma atitude positiva e encorajadora, inspirando confiança e determinação para enfrentar desafios juntos.

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You’re leading a team through a difficult project. How can you keep them motivated and productive?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Communicate clearly

2 Empower your team

3 Celebrate milestones

4 Foster collaboration

5 Manage stress

6 Ask for feedback

7 Here’s what else to consider

Career Management

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You’re leading a team through a difficult project. How can you keep them motivated and productive?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Communicate clearly

2 Empower your team

3 Celebrate milestones

4 Foster collaboration

5 Manage stress

6 Ask for feedback

7 Here’s what else to consider

Career Management

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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