12 Tips for Leading and Motivating a Project Team

Human beings are complicated – and wonderful. When you get a group of them together, things get even more complicated, with the possibility of some wonderful results. Leading groups of complex, wonderful humans to achieve exciting goals is one of the greatest challenges and one of the greatest rewards of managing a project team.

So how do you do it? How do you keep a group of unique individuals with different skills and roles headed together in the same direction? How do you keep them motivated when crunch time rolls around? If you’re looking for a place to start, here are twelve steps you can take to grow your project leadership skills.

1. Set clear project objectives.

Projects fail for lack of clarity. This can be confusion about the end goal, how to get there, or how to know when you’ve gotten there. Take the time to set clear objectives at the start of your project to avoid frustrations down the road. Check to make sure these goals are realistic for the time frame, skill set, and resources your team has to work with. Currently, the gold standard in business goal-setting frameworks is the smart goal model. In this model, all goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. Whether you opt for SMART or another framework, your team needs a clear road map so they can take you where you want to go.

2. Keep your team challenged, within reason.

People function at their best and most creative when they are stimulated and challenged, but not overwhelmed. Daniel Coyle, author of the talent code describes this sweet spot as “the edge of struggle.” Work with your team to learn what the edge of struggle means for them. This is especially important when a team member’s role lies outside your realm of expertise. Educate yourself on industry standards to avoid setting unreasonable expectations, and recognize where the specifications of your project may present your team with uncharted territory. In creating your goals, make sure to build in margin for the unexpected. This will help your team deliver excellence on time without burning out.

3. Balance responsibilities among team members.

It’s important to distribute project responsibilities equitably to effectively harness the strength of your team. While it may be hard to let go of those pet projects, you need to lean on your team to create functional trust and, ultimately, get the job done. You may find it easier to assign tasks to more experienced team members but try to avoid delegating to the same people all the time. Those star players will be less effective if they’re in danger of burnout. Meanwhile, other members of the team may become demotivated because there’s no place for them to shine. Delegation is a fantastic opportunity to lighten the load up top while building up less experienced members you will eventually need to rely on more heavily.

4. Prioritize communication.

as we’ve written previouslyy, clear, consistent, and conscious communication is key to the success of team efforts, whether within an individual project team or a whole company. Under the pressure of impending deadlines, it may be tempting to rush the process with insufficient information. But this approach can ultimately slow progress or lead to the wrong end product. Instead, take the time to provide context and allow your team to troubleshoot potential issues before requiring results. This will ultimately save your business time and money. It will also reduce unnecessary stress and build rapport within your team.

5. Foster a culture of collaboration.

Among the many leadership styles available to choose from, collaborative leadership is especially beneficial for project teams. Rather than top-down management, teams often benefit from a more horizontal team structure where there is freedom to share information and contribute out of different areas of expertise. Leading collaboratively has often been described as leading from within instead of from above or in front. In this model, there is a greater sense of equality, and thus greater opportunity for team members to express their agency in creative ways that improve your end product. Rather than asking how you can control your team, ask instead “How can I empower my team to unleash the brilliance that will drive this project to success?”

6. Invest in the tools your team needs.

One element of empowering your team is asking them what tools they need to do their job, or do it better, and then supplying that tool. This may involve setting up a project management platform to help your team communicate more effectively. It could even look like investing in a subscription to a mindfulness app to support focus and reduce stress on the job. Ultimately, your team members know the pain points of their roles the best, so be sure to get their input when deciding where to invest your resources next.

7. Welcome autonomy.

Even children perform better when they have some control over how they get the job done. We might ask, “Do you want to use the regular pen or the sparkly pen to complete your homework?” The student still has to get the homework done, but having a choice helps them feel more in control, focus better on the task, and maybe even enjoy it. Similarly, harvard business review encourages project leaders to resist the urge to micromanage their teams when it comes to workflow. Instead, allow members to structure their days and work environment in ways that help them be more productive and, yes, enjoy their work. Not only does flexibility help your team members be more productive, it builds rapport by showing your respect for each person’s knowledge of the conditions they need to get the job done in ways that make sense for them.

8. Create opportunities for advancement.

While not every team manager has the power to offer a raise or a promotion, leaders can offer other incentives that reward excellence and increase engagement. We’re not just talking about coffee and donuts here, though a little caffeine and sugar never hurts! Meaningful incentives help your team members reach the next wrung of the success ladder – and success looks different from person to person. Create opportunities for your team members to work on advancing their own career goals in the course of the project. This may involve structuring tasks in such a way that they become valuable for portfolio building. It may even involve adjusting a job title to help build a resume. Whatever the case, find ways to help your team members work on their goals as they help you achieve yours.

9. Take time for both constructive and positive feedback.

Feedback can be a tricky balance. Constructive or corrective feedback is of course needed to help improve both individual performance and the total outcome of the project. However, as with customers who only reach out when dissatisfied, it can be easy for managers to only comment when something’s going wrong. Team members need to hear when they’re doing it right, too. This not only boosts morale but helps them deliver more of what you want rather than constantly guessing. Feedback should always be a two-way street. The best leaders welcome input, suggestions, and ideas irrespective of position. Those in roles most different from your own may provide valuable observations that might otherwise go overlooked.

10. Respond tactfully to conflict.

In the heat of the moment, it can be easy to jump to negative conclusions about the motives, effort, or intelligence of someone whose work dissatisfies you. Instead, make an effort to give your people the benefit of the doubt. Not everyone is “quiet quitting.” And if they are there may be good reasons you need to know about! Approaching with open-ended questions rather than assumptions can make a world of difference in the quality of communication and the overall atmosphere of your team. If handled well, a moment of conflict can also be the perfect moment to cement a culture of collaboration rather than fear.

11. Practice genuine appreciation and gratitude.

No, we’re not talking about adding an obligatory employee-appreciation Zoom call to your team’s already full calendar. They don’t have time for insincere gratitude, and neither do you! Instead, find ways to express appreciation genuinely. This will, of course, require getting to know your team. Learn what motivates them, who needs some extra guidance, or who’s been working their tail off and needs some positive feedback. As discussed above, creating opportunities for advancement may be one of the best ways to express appreciation because it has concrete value to your team member’s lives and futures.

12. Prioritize the well-being of your team.

The best teams are often made up of high performers, and as the mayo clinic explains, it is now well-known that high performers are prone to high-functioning anxiety. They know what excellence looks like, and put a great deal of pressure on themselves to attain that standard. Moreover, as the speed of technology increases, workers everywhere are coming under increasing pressure to produce faster than humanly possible. As team lead, you get to set a standard of humane conditions, challenging but not over-taxing your team. Fostering a culture that puts the well-being of your team members first is one of the best things you can do to protect the productivity and longevity of your team.

Leadership isn’t easy, but with these tools in hand, we hope you can feel more empowered to be the leader your team needs.

If you’re uncertain and need a little help, feel free to ask your team members for guidance. Maybe they can be a part of the interview process as well and help you find the best candidate for the job. Ideally, you want to find a skilled communicator, someone who’s comfortable with tight deadlines and can effortlessly handle things like scheduling.

WRITTEN BY: DEBORAH STEVENSON