50 tips to power up your team’s

PRODUCTIVITY

Creating exceptional results through people.

The Power of Productivity

Produced by Leadership Management Australasia

These 50 Tips to Power up your Team’s Productivity have been sourced from over 45 years of LMA teachings, development and research.

INTRODUCTIONIncreased productivity is at the heart of what drives all development and increases in performance and profitability. A combination of intelligent planning and focused efforts, productivity is something that can be continuously improved.

Having a focus on productivity means your team can get more out of each and every day. It means each team member can do more in less time and with less resources. It means your team can become so efficient and productive, that each team member can achieve things once considered to be in the ‘too hard’ basket. It’s about changing habits, attitudes and patterns. If you are a team member, it means leading the charge and being an example of what can be achieved with enhanced productivity.

Throughout this eBook you will find insights on how you can direct your team to become more productive by focusing on three key areas: Process, Training and Management. The following pages will take you through some of the key teachings of LMA gathered from over 45 years of experience and development in our research and teachings.

Read through the Process tips to streamline existing processes and initiate new ones. Check out the Training section to find tips on how to give your team an extra boost with the introduction of new skills and leadership development. Finally, the Management section will give you some hints on how to better manage your team members and achieve the best possible results.

We hope that you find value in the insights and information throughout this eBook. If you have any questions or require any further information then please do not hesitate to contact us.

Regards,

Grant SextonFounder & Executive ChairmanLeadership Management Australia / Leadership Management Australasia

www.lma.bizinfo@lma.bizTel (Aust) +61 3 9822 1301 or 1800 333 270Tel (NZ) 0800 333 270

Produced by Leadership Management Australasia

2.Concentrate on the results your team produces

1. Eliminate repeating meetingsTry to gather your team together when there is a series of issues to be decided upon. To keep things fresh, try meeting in different locations and under different situations to encourage new thinking styles.

If a member of your team is able to work smarter in a shorter amount of time, reward them by

offering flexible working hours or circumstances. Empower people to get the job done even when

they are not visible in the office.

3. Provide regular and constructive feedback

Most people want to know that they are ‘getting it right’, or at least know they are on the right track. Providing regular feedback opens up communications and allows information to freely flow both ways.

PROCESS

4.Design

performance incentives

Team incentives can be a great way to encourage overall performance and productivity. Be wary of social loafing though, stress that for everyone to

reap the rewards of extra performance, everyone has to be a contributor.

5.Allow decision making to happen on your team’s termsEmpower your team to make decisions on their own work and the work they produce together. It will provide them with a greater sense of accomplishment and satisfaction for a job well done.

PROCESS

6.Clearly

communicate your imperatives

By being clear from the outset of the day, week or month what you need done, your team can

approach their tasks with a sense of clarity about what is required of them and when. 7.

Set attainable goalsAllow your team members to be active in their own goal-setting. Encourage a focus on goals that are challenging but achievable.

8. Encourage 5 minute morning meetings

Try to regularly assemble your team to discuss crucial results to be achieved for that day. It will provide each team member with clarification on potentially unclear points and will allow you to reiterate what you expect at the end of the day.

9.Keep your expectations realisticEnsure that you set targets that are attainable but still above what is possible to help improve productivity.

10.Know in advance what you want

your team to produce. If you are clear on what you want to be produced the

people around you are more likely to work harder when endeavouring to meet your requirements for a task.

11.Encourage collaborationIt’s often true that two heads are better than one. Allow your team the opportunity to collaborate on tasks amongst themselves and with other departments if appropriate and possible.

PROCESS

12.Utilise feedback formsRegularly use forms for getting feedback from your team members to improve workflow and processes. Your team’s opinion can be a great source of untapped information for moving ahead as a collective force.

13.Encourage work

on long-term projects

Ensure team members work daily on tasks that are important but not urgent so headway is being

made with long-term projects every day.

14.Eliminate back and

forth email discussionsInstead of wasting time through

extensive email conversations, use meeting planners as an alternative for

more effective communication between yourself and your team members.

15.Discourage

multitaskingConstant interruptions bring on higher levels of stress and cognitive overload

for your team. Encourage your team members to focus on one task at a time to maximise their resources and energy. 16.

Set communication expectations Be clear about reporting expectations and how often it should be done.

17.Regularly speak to others about potential new ideas or processesGreat ideas can come from anywhere and everywhere. Regularly speak to your team members about where they think the company is at and where they would like it to go. Along with a host of new initiatives, you’ll increase team members’ confidence in their ability to provide valuable insights for the organisation to act on.

18.Introduce a ‘sounding board’

for your teamThe sounding board can act as an opportunity for your team to express concerns over current processes and

how they may be improved.

PROCESS

20.

Encourage further training & development

21.

Host regular team building exercisesThese exercises will allow your team members

to connect with one another and develop communication skills that can be transferred

to various work situations.

TRAINING

22.

Develop the leaders in your team

Allow your team leaders to develop into their roles by encouraging more active involvement in key decisions and actions within the organisation.

Inspire with visual motivators

Try out different training techniques with your team members. Remember, some of your team members may be more visual

learners than oral learners and vice versa.

19.Offering team members career development opportunities enhances skill sets, which can further enrich the organisation while also communicating to employees that they are important members of the team.

23.

24.

Develop individuals into specialists

Determine the strengths present in your team and delegate tasks accordingly. By making people ‘specialists’ in their own area you will increase each member’s ownership of their work

and will increase dedication to focused tasks.

25.Train employees to use time tracking tools

Being able to see how your team members spend their time is essential to understanding where more training

resources may be required. Encourage team members to regularly write down how they spend their time during

the working day and discuss any discrepancies or difficulties being experienced.

Train leaders in delegation skillsAllowing team leaders the option to delegate to those around them is key to enhancing resource utilisation and productivity.

TRAINING

27.Introduce some skill

share sessionsEncourage team members to engage

in regular skill sharing sessions in order for employees to learn from

each other. 28.

If you were a team member, what would you want your manager to do? With this new perspective you will be able to see a project from a new point of view and improve internal team dynamics.

Put yourself in their shoes, train yourself to think differently

26. Illuminate the three D’s

Assist employees to make time focused decisions. Encourage team members to operate with the two-minute rule in mind – if it’s something that can be done in two minutes, do it. Delegate if possible. Dump it if it’s not worth your effort or someone else’s time.

29.Create a system of accountability for

your team Public accountability triggers the

willpower to work harder and more productively.

30.Break the monotony and rotate tasksWhile tasks are normally assigned according to employee’s core competence, even the task they are best at can make an employee bored and seemingly monotonous in their output. Give employees new tasks and exposure to other divisions or departments to stretch individual skills.

31.Provide the right resources

and training Ensure your team have the right resources to complete their roles. Check

in with your team members regularly to ensure they have adequate training in the resources they are to use each day in their work.

TRAINING

32. Have clear guidelines in place for all employees

Make your day-to-day organisationeasier with a comprehensive email filing system.

33.Take advantage of

technologyAllow your team members to bring their

own devices they may be able to use for business purposes. Regularly ask

your team members what technological elements they feel would increase their

productivity in the role. It may save other individuals and consequently the business

more time and resources.

34.Ask what you can doOften the best way to increase your team’s productivity is to ask what you can do to assist in daily work. Offer your expertise and experience to guide team members toward becoming more productive and self-directed in their own work.

$

MANAGEMENT35.Remove roadblocks to communication. The more your team members feel they can discuss issues with you as their manager, the more they will feel listened to and respected in their role. Adopt an open office policy regarding employee feedback and engagement. 36.

Write down HPAsOnce you and your employees have determined their

high pay off activities, encourage each team member to schedule their days and weeks based on priorities both for

the short and long term. Effective prior planning will allow employees to maintain self-direction over their work load

and be more productive more consistently.37.Avoid micromanagement Remember that your team is made up of capable members. Give your instructions then step away, don’t hover.

38.Encourage staff to set

SMART goals Encourage staff to use SMART thinking to find ways to

reconsider upcoming goals in ways that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and tangible.

39.Apply the ‘Pareto Principle’ to your

team’s input and outputThe Pareto Principle states that in most situations roughly 80% of effects come from only 20% of causes. In applying this principle to productivity

just 20% of the activities your team currently engage in result in 80% of the results you, and they, wish to achieve. This means they’ll get more out of

each day by focusing their attention and effort accordingly.

40.Walk the Talk If you want tasks done to the highest standard, ensure you do your own work to the best of your ability each and everytime. Be a leader in your words and actions.

41.Have team members

make appointments with themselves

Have your team all use similar timesharing calendar software such as Google

Calendar. Encourage use of it to block out time they need to work on their HPAs.

42.Encourage regular breaksEncourage team members to use their lunch time to have a break from work and really walk away from the desk environment. Similarly, encourage employees to move around every 20-30 minutes, get up and get active. Even if it’s just standing up and having a brief stretch, it will improve your team’s ability to stay focused and productive

MANAGEMENT

43.Create creative

and well-lit spaces in the office

Something as simple as an indoors plant will

immediately lighten the environment

your team are working in.

44.Put real effort into your company cultureCorporate culture is extraordinarily important in maximising productivity and the bottom line. When you have a unified team that is rushing towards a common goal, you will create accelerated business processes and increases in effeciency and productivity.

45.Don’t pass on stress

Although it is always good management practice to pass on new challenges to your team members, an increase

in productivity shouldn’t come with an extra serving of stress. Make certain your team members know

how important a task is without heaping additional or unwarranted stress to their workload. 46.

Encourage a work-life balance We all know we can’t do our best work when we’re fatigued or caught up in stress. The same goes for your team. Productivity is a function of a refreshed and energised brain, the chief productivity tool. Encourage your team to have an active work-life balance to promote optimal productivity.

48.Reward ‘above and

beyond’ actionsWhether a team member has worked hard on a

small or large job, reward actions that go beyond the call of duty. Celebrate the team member’s effort and dedication in their role with a simple

acknowledgement, or even with a bonus as may be fitting the occasion.

MANAGEMENT

49.Schedule regular check-insRespect for those who work for you goes beyond the projects and tasks assigned work hours. It involves being aware of the employees’ life outside of work and knowing what they care about. Make the time to check-in with your team members regularly.

47.

50.

If you want your team to work harder, allow them to be a part of the bigger dream that is directing the strategic goals of the organisation.

Divulge the big picture

If you enjoy what you do working at it is easier. Your

motivation to improve is innate rather than forced.

Share yourpassion for

the work

PRODUCTIVITY IS NEVER AN ACCIDENT.

It is always the result of a commitment to excellence,

intelligent planning, and focused effort

Paul J. Meyer

For further information, please call

Australia 03 9822 1301

New Zealand 0800 333 270

info@lma.biz

www.lma.biz