9 Super Effective Ways to Motivate Your Team

Teams are the way that most companies get important work done. When you combine the energy, knowledge, and skills of a motivated group of people, then you and your team can accomplish anything you set your minds to.

Weekdone.com recently took a look at some of the mistakes leaders make that drive away their top talent. As they suggest, "Reflect on your behavior, fix these mistakes, and get ready to boost your team performance and motivation."

Try these 9 powerful ways to keep the members of your team motivated and giving their very best on the job.

1. Pay your people what they are worth

When you set your employees' salaries, be sure that their pay is consistent with what other companies in your industry and geographic area are paying. Remember: 26 percent of engaged employees say that they would leave their current job for just a 5 percent increase in pay. Don't lose great people because you're underpaying them.

2. Provide them with a pleasant place to work

Everyone wants to work in an office environment that is clean and stimulating, and that makes them feel good instead of bad. You don't have to spend a lot of money to make an office a more pleasant place to be.

3. Offer opportunities for self-development

The members of your team will be more valuable to your organization, and to themselves, when they have opportunities to learn new skills. Provide your team with the training they need to advance in their careers and to become knowledgeable about the latest technologies and industry news.

4. Foster collaboration within the team

According to Weekdone.com, 39 percent of employees don't feel that their input is appreciated. Encourage the members of your team to fully participate by inviting their input and suggestions on how to do things better. Ask questions, listen to their answers, and, whenever possible, implement their solutions.

5. Encourage happiness

Happy employees are enthusiastic and positive members of the team, and their attitude is infectious. Keep an eye on whether or not your people are happy with their work, their employer, and you. If they're not, you can count on this unhappiness to spread.

6. Don't punish failure

We all make mistakes. It's part of being human. The key is to learn valuable lessons from those mistakes so we don't make them again. When members of your team make honest mistakes, don't punish them--instead, encourage them to try again.

7. Set clear goals

In one study, 63 percent of employees reported that they wasted time at work because they weren't aware of what work was a priority, and what wasn't. As a leader, it's your job to work with the members of your team to set clear goals. And once you do that, make sure everyone knows exactly what those goals are, what their relative priority is, and what the team's role is in reaching them.

8. Don't micromanage

No one likes a boss who is constantly looking over her shoulder and second-guessing her every decision. In fact, 38 percent of employees in one survey reported that they would rather take on unpleasant activities than sit next to a micromanaging boss. Provide your people with clear goals (see number 7, above), and then let them figure out the best way to achieve them.

9. Avoid useless meetings

Meetings can be an incredible waste of time--the average professional wastes 3.8 hours in unproductive meetings each and every week. Create an agenda for your meetings and distribute it in advance. Invite only the people who really need to attend, start the meeting on time, and then end it as quickly as you possibly can.