How to Motivate Your Team During Crunch Time

Whether it’s a seasonal crunch time or an intense project with a tight deadline, it can be hard to keep people focused and motivated when they’re overloaded. What’s the best way to rally the troops? For starters, you need to check your own emotional energy. You’ll be hard pressed to lead your team if you’re feeling beleaguered or stressed. To jumpstart your engagement, reflect on why the work matters: why it’s relevant and who benefits from it. Then, convey that message to your employees. Your goal is to inspire excitement and enthusiasm. Express confidence that the team will prevail, and assure your staff that you’re all in it together. Finally, remember that incentives are your friend — and they should be deployed throughout crunch time, not just when the project ends. Find ways to reward your team’s hard work: a Friday afternoon off perhaps, or an all-office ice cream social. Moments of celebration foster camaraderie and create sustained engagement.