Motivation - The Benefits of Spending Time with Your Team

Benefit 1 - You get to understand them better

Almost everyone wants to know that their manager isgenuinely and positively interested in them. They may notalways give that impression by their demeanour but trust me- they want to know you care; they want acceptance from you.

If they know you care about them, then your relationshipwill be much more productive.

Benefit 2 - You find out how they're handling the job

As well as getting to know your team from a human orpersonal basis you need to get to know them on a businessbasis. How are they getting along with the job? And it's nota matter of asking - "How's the job going?" If you ask thatthen you may get a list of complaints or you may just get -"It's all going fine."

Benefit 3 - It helps you deal with problems

One of the main benefits of spending time with your team isthat it lets them know you're there to help with problems.Of course, you're not there necessarily to solve theirproblems but to coach them to solve their problems.

Benefit 4 - They get to know you

Your team will want to know about you at both a personal andbusiness level. Again, that doesn't mean sharing yourintimate thoughts but it's similar to the things you want toknow about them.

Even although team members don't ask you about yourself -tell them. Reveal bits and pieces about yourself over aperiod of time.

What you're really saying is - "I'm human, I'm like you andI experience the same situations."

Benefit 5 - You have the opportunity to give them feedbackand coach them

This is one of the most important things the successfulmanager can do. This is your opportunity to tell them thethings that you do like about their performance and also thethings you don't like. Too often managers leave feedbackuntil a performance review and often these are only once ortwice a year.

Benefit 6 - They have the opportunity to give you feedback

Now this may make you feel a bit nervous and it certainlycan be scary when you're not used to it but it is verymotivational. If you create a healthy open environment inyour team then they should feel comfortable giving feedbackto you. It may not always be what you want to hear but itcan certainly improve your relationship with them.

Benefit 7 - It encourages opinions and ideas to flow fromthem

It's often the case that members of your team have positivesuggestions that will benefit the team, the business andyou. However, they may not always be willing to seek you outand tell you about them. Perhaps they may feel foolish orembarrassed in front of their colleagues.

If you're spending time with them - then this is the idealopportunity for them to give you their thoughts. Of course,you sometimes have to dig this out and encourage it.

Benefit 8 - It allows you to explain the company's missionand the team's role in this.

When you spend time with each individual it gives you theopportunity to explain how the business is going and how theteam is performing. This is often done at a team brief andthat's okay. However in a one to one situation you candiscuss in more depth and encourage ideas and feedback fromthem as described above.

Discover how you can generate more business by motivatingyour team!Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Salesby Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practicalthings you can do to get the best out of your people. Visit http://www.howtogetmoresales.com