In short, the relationship is key: you should focus less on fulfilling tasks for their own sake, and more on connecting personally with the team, thus providing them with inner psychological security, a desire to contribute and willingness to experiment. Here are four practical approaches to this end.
1. Facilitate collaboration
Give your team opportunities to think virtually and find solutions to real challenges. Be clear about the desired results and consider yourself the conductor of any discussion rather than the main player.
2. Give people a voice
Naturally, some people will talk more than others but that doesn't mean you always get to hear the best ideas. Give individuals individual space to express themselves. Divide larger groups into smaller units with specific goals. Address people by name.
3. Play
This is not about forced entertainment; it is an attempt to create space for experiments and share opinions without fearing the consequences. Allow people to take risks in seeking partial solutions to tasks. This will give you access to more diverse ideas and ultimately better results.
4. Be proud of the team
Take the time to celebrate a victory before embarking on the next project. Look for opportunities to learn from success, failure and everything in between. Strengthen the sense of purpose as much as possible. People who understand the positive impact of what they are doing together will invest more of themselves in the common cause.
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