Can you believe it’s already the 4th quarter of the year? Time sure flies by quickly! Q4 is often the most challenging and stressful time of the year and you are already probably noticing a shift in energy in the office.
Employee productivity and team performance are put to the test every last quarter of the year. Have you met your sales goals? How are you doing with your business objectives so far?
To be successful in the finance industry, an employee must have a strong drive and ambition to become a top performer. The key question here is, what motivates your employees to excel in their positions and is there anything you can do, as a team leader, to motivate them?
Not sure what to do? Here are three strategies to effectively motivate your finance team during the fourth quarter:
Set Realistic Goals
At this point, you should already have a clear idea of whether or not it’s feasible to achieve the objectives that you and your team set at the start of 2022.
For your employees to continue to be inspired to give their best efforts without becoming discouraged, it’s critical to create SMART goals that are challenging yet achievable. Goals that are set too high can lead to stress and impact employee performance negatively.
If you can find time, schedule a meeting with your team and make an audit of their progress. Discuss what their next plan of action is and when it is feasible for them to accomplish certain tasks. Communicate your goals and expectations with each other clearly to avoid misunderstandings when the task delivery date is due.
Give Mindful Feedback
Try to be more specific with your feedback. Instead of saying something is great, tell them exactly what they did right. It is always a good thing to give acknowledgement when someone puts their heart and soul into a project. Especially in the fourth quarter, employees who feel valued are more likely to keep going above and beyond.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should only give positive feedback. Constructive criticism is just as important as acknowledgement. Just make sure to keep your and your employee’s emotions in check and be mindful of how you phrase your feedback. One great practice is to focus less on what they did incorrectly and more on how they can improve.
Keep Your Energy In Check
Employees aren’t likely to feel motivated by your words if they don’t see you confidently pushing your own boundaries. You may have heard this from me so many times but self-leadership is truly the most important form of leadership. The way you perform at work has a big impact on others around you.
You and your executive team is what gives your employees guidance. Crush negative self-talk and double down your efforts. Work diligently alongside your employees to demonstrate to them that you mean business.
Now that there are only three months left, it’s time to step up your game and keep your team focused on your objectives. Fortunately, with the right mindset and strategy, this can be your strongest quarter yet!
How do you plan to motivate and inspire your team?
