Looking to Close the Year Out Strong? 4 Tips for Managers to Keep Teams Focused
By Kristin Hodgkinson, Lois Hines, and Wendy R. Weidenbaum
As the leaves begin to change and the temperature starts to drop, it’s clear that we are in the final stretch of the year. The last few months of the year are often a mix of excitement about the coming holidays juxtaposed with feelings of stress over the end of the fiscal year. While there’s a buzz of excitement for the promise of holiday celebration, there’s also the recognition that a final push needs to be made to ensure the organization’s goals and objectives for the year have been met. Read on for tips on how to set your team up for success as the year comes to a close.
Lead the Charge
Throughout the year as a manager, have frequent conversations to manage goals, objectives, and changing expectations so that when the end of the year comes around, what needs to be achieved isn’t a surprise. While it’s important to manage with consistency, that doesn’t mean that an end-of-year push won’t be desired to set yourselves up for a good start to Q1.
As a manager, if you’re looking for your team to give 110%, lead the way. Your team will be looking to you to set an example to emulate. While this may mean clocking more hours than usual, your efforts will be rewarded by your team doing the same to meet the collective goal.
Regularly Check In
As a manager, while it’s your responsibility to ensure goals are met, you also have the responsibility to maintain the wellbeing of your team. This is a stressful time of year and many of your employees will be feeling pressure to go to great lengths to perform. Make sure you take the time to check in regularly with your employees. Make sure they are taking care of themselves and are dealing with stress in appropriate ways. Plus, know the triggers for each individual when stressed so you can customize your style based on each individual’s needs. Your team will value you for caring about them, and you’ll be fostering an environment of success when it comes to meeting deadlines.
Give Credit Where Credit’s Due
When you’re working towards a larger goal, sometimes the small wins get lost in the mix. To keep momentum going through the end of the year, take the time to recognize your employees when they hit a milestone, regardless of whether it’s big or small. Additionally, when your employees are doing well, be sure to send that news up to the next level of management for visibility. Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool to keep your employees engaged and motivated as the year comes to a close.
Offer Incentives & Make Time for Fun
With all things in life, balance is key. Reward your team for putting in long hours and extra effort by offering incentives and sprinkling in some time for fun. Does your team need to come in early or stay late to meet a deadline? Provide a bagel breakfast in the morning or a catered dinner at night. Be flexible and let them come in late or leave early after a long night. Plan a holiday party for your team to look forward to celebrating their hard work all year. Providing incentives and breaks for your team will help them recharge, keep them happy, and ensure they bring their best selves to work every day.
The end of the year is a stressful time. Set your team up for success to hit those end-of-year goals by leading by example, checking in regularly, rewarding success, and keeping things fun.