Characteritics Of Teams That Sustain High Levels Of Motivation

What are the ingredients or characteristics of teams that sustain high levels of motivation?

Putting together an effective team that works well under pressure, communicates openly and honestly and delivers results is no easy task.

However there is one characteristic that is present amongst all high performing teams, and that characteristic is ‘motivation’. We hear the term used repeatedly, especially with the modern day self help gurus, and even though few of us could specifically identify what exactly makes up motivation, we can certainly identify with the old adage “I know it when I see it.”

As the collaboration trend, and more specifically, the use of employee teams continues to grow, one question that is taking on greater importance is how to keep the team motivated over the long term.

What Makes Us Do Anything?

Probably the first question to be answered in a discussion of motivation is “What makes us do anything?” Why am I writing this whitepaper? Why are you reading it? Why did you accept your current job? What made you start your business?

The process of making decisions is driven, in a large part, by the hope of a benefit or the fear of a consequence.

As we attempt to understand motivation, we need to appreciate the subtleties that exist in human behaviour, and focus our attention on general principles of motivation. At least if we can understand some of these principles, we might be better prepared to lead or facilitate a long-term, highly motivating team experience.

The Six Critical Factors That Influence Team Motivation & Performance

1. Purpose
In the past I have asked individual clients to describe the most important factors that contribute to their most rewarding and successful team experiences. The majority of response was that there was a clear purpose, focus, or vision that the team was aligned to. This is a key point that directly impacts short term team performance and motivation.

But for further long-term motivation there must be a purpose or vision that clearly aligns with the individual’s wants, needs and desires.

For example, an individual can be asked to participate in a cross functional team. If the vision is clear she might be able to sustain motivation for the duration if she feels it is important. However, if it is an area or topic that is not in line with her wants and needs, her motivation to continue may diminish.

Outdoor teambuilding programs can clearly highlight the impact that group and individual purpose can have on overall team performance and motivation. By constructing a teambuilding program around this objective, managers and leaders can quickly observe over a short period of time (3-4 hours) the impact that clear purpose can have on team dynamics and team performance. These learning’s can then be taken back into the work environment for real world results.

2. Challenge

The second critical factor in team motivation and performance is ‘challenge’. In many cases mediocre and underperforming teams respond with great success when set the correct challenge. The challenge itself was the motivator for the increase in performance.
For ongoing team performance, periodic stimulation in the form of a healthy challenge that is clearly aligned to team goals, is another method for maintaining motivation over the longer term.

Outdoor team based programs allow you to observe first hand the effect the ‘challenge factor’ can have on team performance. In particular how team behaviours, attitudes and actions change under the new circumstances. 

3. Camaraderie

The third critical factor that influences team motivation and performance is ‘camaraderie’. Put simply the members of the team like each other, get along well and generally enjoy each others company. When this is the case everyone works hard to develop, preserve and maintain their relationships.

Although individuals may not consciously be aware of this characteristic and its effect on overall team performance, individuals naturally seem to understand that it’s a lot easier to support your team member when you have a good relationship. The outcome from this kind of relationship building is open and direct communication, frequent praising of each others’ contributions, and mutual support. All elements required for a high performance team.

Outdoor team building programs are an effective approach for quickly developing and strengthening team bonds, whilst at the same time allowing for participants to gain greater awareness and understanding of their workmates.

4. Responsibility

Responsibility and accountability for one’s actions, be it in personal or business life, is necessary for success and growth. This same fundamental can be applied to the team situation.  Studies have shown that individual motivation within team members is increased when they have ownership of an identifiable block of work.

However responsibility can be a double edged sword depending upon the organisational culture. Implied in this concept, is the understanding that the responsibility comes with authority to make the necessary changes. Teams that have both the responsibility and authority tend to maintain motivation over longer periods of time.
Responsibility can be demotivating if the consequences of error or failure are too great.                                                          

If the organisation, for example, has a history of punishing mistakes, then the giving of responsibility is viewed more as a negative. The short-term performance may be good (remember fear is a motivator), but long-term motivation will suffer. A more long term approach is to foster a culture of innovation and creativity, where mistakes are seen as learning opportunities from which growth can emerge.

5. Growth

Motivation and performance is also effected by the opportunity within the team for growth. Growth can occur at either the personal or team level. A combination of both generally delivers more sustained longer term motivation. When people feel they are moving forward, learning new concepts, adding to their skill base, and stretching their minds, motivation tends to remain high. Personal growth adds value to the individual, enhancing self-esteem and self-worth.

6. Leadership

A good leader can be a catalyst for motivation in the short term, but the best leaders create the conditions for the team to motivate itself.
We have all seen examples of how leaders inspire teams to accomplish some phenomenal task. But the charismatic leader that can be so effective in the short term, cannot necessarily sustain motivation indefinitely. Motivation is inherently intrinsic, residing within oneself. Therefore, if one depends continually on another for their source of motivation, eventually it ends.

Great leaders have a knack for helping others see the best in themselves, providing the stimulus for self-actualizing behaviours. Great leaders understand that their team members have needs, and that for motivation to grow and continue, the activities of the team must help in some way to meet these needs.

Summary

To compete successfully in the 21st century, organisations must develop high performance teams. The first step in this process is through the recruitment of internally motivated individuals. This then needs to be supported by a business culture that values innovation, creativity and risk taking. It is only when individual motives are aligned to the broader team and organisational goals that natural synergies emerge, creating true high performance teams that deliver results over the longer term.

By understanding the basic building blocks of motivation and performance, one can better structure an environment that facilitates the evolution and growth of a high performance team.

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