20 ways to maintain your team motivated

1. Always start with yourself: in order to motivate others, you have to be motivated and be a part of the project, feel it and know it. Show energy, security, confidence and conviction.

2. Share the information you have about the project, the team must endorse the project and know the circumstances surrounding it and its limitations, this can also lead the team to take initiatives to make suggestions on ways to improve the project. I know, this is not an easy one, especially if you are a part of a large organization, but you can surely find a way to share, at least, some part of that.

3. When you are facing a problem related to the project, the team is your greatest asset. Take the opportunity to encourage people to share problems with the rest of the team. That encourages the participation for ideas and alternative ways out. 

4. Discipline is important, but you must try to maintain a friendly environment. People usually work best if they feel pressure and no control. The dates and commitments should be challenging, so the team is proud of achieving them.

5. The projects are divided into phases, a good project manager motivates his team to point out the milestones of the project, usually you can prepare a special celebration to reach milestones on time. Ice cream on successful end of Sprint? Why not? 

6. Always show appreciation for the members of his team, even small tasks must be completed with at least a thank you, people can do more to seek such recognition. When contacting be humble, choose your words carefully.

7. During the evaluation the principle is not trying to blame anyone, as this can create an atmosphere of distrust. For a good atmosphere should understand that it is an achievement of equipment or equipment failure.

8. Give positive feedback. Be part of the team when you have to take responsibility for a failure and end feedback always on a positive note.

9. Go to lunch with a team member, talk about trivial topics including some work related and enjoy the time together. Work on a relationship, this can bring new ideas to business and your employee will know that he/she is valued.

10. Listen to your employees (actually, do listen - you learn nothing new when speaking and can always learn while listening). 

11. Consider rolling up your sleeves to help carry out the solution on a problem from time to time. This is earning respect by actions and not words.

12. Always support your team, give them confidence and give them opportunity to earn your trust. It is imperative to trust that lean on if they are in trouble (I will be writing on trust way more in here).

13. Not everyone can carry out all work. As a leader it is up to you to choose the right person for the right job. Although a member unconvinced face a new task could gain a lot of confidence to successfully complete the objective. The impact is huge morale in case of failure.

14. Eating together is a relationship builder, have meals together when someone present a topic related to the job. 

15. Allow team creativity, increase team productivity if given a day where they can try new ideas, provided they have something to do with the project at hand.

16. Consider fun, maybe some free time in a board game or something similar, do junior teams members against veterans and let you enjoy competition or perhaps work parties.

17. When ideas and feedback are requested usually the more timid members tend to be left behind. Give these people the opportunity to come forward and speak, you should listen carefully and evaluate ideas on their merits. Be sure not to discourage participation quickly qualifying as a bad idea, this could mean which not more.

18. There are members of your team that show great enthusiasm and encourage other members to do the same without saying. Identify them and put an effort on their professional development.

19. In brainstorming sessions, show your employees that their ideas are taken into account. Being taken into account goes hand in hand with the acquisition of responsibilities and assign roles according to their aptitudes and interests.

20. Divide the project into parts, so you can give your employees achievable goals. This will give them freedom to do things their way, leaving them gain confidence and so do their best work.