As entrepreneurs, we know the value of a loyal, enthusiastic team; as the business grows, we support the staff that have helped us, celebrating the success with them. However, not every moment of running a business is smooth sailing, and we find ourselves struggling, as a team, to push through the tough times. Keeping your team motivated can be challenging; in this article, we share our ways of motivating an unenthused team, imparting the critical leadership skills you need to be a successful entrepreneur.

Ensure all your team has set goals

Finding the source of an unmotivated team is crucial for every entrepreneur, and quite often aimless staff feel demotivated easily. Working towards achieving specific outcomes allows the staff to push, work harder and commit more of themselves to the business. Ensure you regularly review the goals set for your team by replacing completed goals with new objectives. It can be easy to become caught up in the celebration of a goal achieved, and overlook the new ones.

Reset goals

One of the crucial aspects of goal setting for your staff is to make them achievable; often having unobtainable goals can be worse than having no goals at all. If your team is experiencing a slump, consider reviewing their objectives by reviewing their progress, time left toward the end date, and how achievable the outcome is for them individually. The goal may not be negotiable, however, so consider reworking the goal into smaller components, focusing on more minor accomplishments that feel achievable, before moving on.

Invest in rest

Your demotivated team may be experiencing burn out. As entrepreneurs, we tend to push ourselves hard, and our work ethic often reflects onto the team around us. No doubt if we are in desperate need of relaxation, our team is likely suffering as well. Consider scheduled breaks for each of your staff, either through group base activities, optional additional leave or through goodwill gestures like sending your team home earlier on a Friday.

Focus on the positives

There is no denying the busy times in business can be long, persistent and tough, and there may not seem like any end in sight for you or your staff. It’s times like these entrepreneurs need to strengthen their leadership skills and remain positive. Focusing on the smaller victories, as well as the positives in the tough situation, will help to level your staff. Any time you’re feeling the pressure, take the negativity away from them, venting your frustrations to anyone else. Negativity is contagious in the workplace, so don’t be the spreader.