How to Boost Morale in a Struggling Team

Morale doesn’t collapse. It erodes. You don’t wake up to mutiny. You wake up to silence. No chatter in standup. No questions in training. No banter in Slack. Just reps going through the motions...quiet, compliant, and clocking out mentally by 2pm. This is what mid-quarter rot looks like. The deals aren’t dead. The team isn’t checked out. But something’s.....off. The engine is still running, but it’s out of torque. And lots of managers respond the only way they’ve been taught: - “Trust the process.” - “Pick up the phone.” - “Back to basics.” The problem there is that morale is much more of a momentum problem than a motivation problem. If you want to reset the team mid-quarter, stop yelling louder, and maybe just try to change the frequency a bit. Some ideas: 1. Take the emotional temperature. Before you fix the system, check the weather. Ask: - “What’s starting to feel pointless?” - “Where are we wasting time?” - “What do you wish we’d change...even if it’s minor?” You’re not looking for therapy, but you are trying to find friction. Morale doesn’t tank when things get hard, but it DOES tank when effort stops translating into progress. 2. Zoom in on the sparks. Forget the scoreboard. Find the bright spots. - One reply. - One call that turned into a thread. - One CMO who said, “Not now...but this is interesting.” Then break it down like game tape: - What channel? - What message? - What timing? Show the team there’s still signal in the system if they know where to look. 3. Change the scoreboard. “Meetings booked” works when reps are winning. When they’re not, it becomes a weekly reminder that they suck. So change the metric. - Conversations started. - Positive replies. - New contacts added to flows. Give them a scoreboard they can control. Not as a crutch, mind you. As a catalyst. 4. Inject constraint-based creativity. Monotony is the silent killer of sales teams. If every day looks the same, morale flatlines. So throw in constraints: - “Book a meeting using only LinkedIn voice notes” - “Re-pitch the same prospect in 10 words or less” - “Send a follow-up without a CTA” Why? You’re reminding reps that creativity matters. 5. Get in the trench. No one follows a manager who’s only seen the battle from a dashboard. So jump in. - Co-write an email. - Jump on a cold call. - Build a flow live on screen. When reps see you sweating with them, they start believing again. You don’t fix a mid-quarter slump with Slack gifs and a Starbucks card. You fix it by restoring a sense of cause and effect. Effort -> Feedback -> Progress. It's really, really not the grind that burns people out. They burn out when the grind feels meaningless. Inject meaning. Show movement. And make it fun again...even if just for a day. That’s how you turn a ghost-town sales floor back into a team.

The worst thing that can happen isn’t failure. It’s losing all hope and drowning in negativity. When I feel like I’m losing hope as a leader, I: Go HARD or go SOFT. As a leader, maintaining an optimistic outlook is crucial, even in the face of adversity. History is full of examples of leaders who remained hopeful despite overwhelming odds. Winston Churchill rallied the British people during World War II with his unwavering optimism and determination. Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in prison, yet emerged with a message of reconciliation and hope for a better future. 1. Go Hard: Initiate a 'Challenge Week' • Set a specific, ambitious goal that aligns with your company's mission and values • Break the goal down into daily challenges that each team member can contribute to • Create a shared scoreboard to track progress and celebrate milestones along the way • Offer rewards and recognition for individuals and teams who go above and beyond • Hold daily stand-up meetings to maintain momentum and address any obstacles or concerns The purpose of a 'Challenge Week' is to unite your team around a common objective and reignite their passion for the work. By setting a high bar and providing the support and resources needed to reach it, you demonstrate your belief in their abilities and your commitment to their success. 2. Go Soft: Conduct 'Listening Sessions' • Schedule one-on-one meetings with each team member to check in on their well-being and listen to their concerns • Create an anonymous survey or suggestion box to gather feedback and ideas from your team • Hold a town hall meeting where employees can ask questions and share their thoughts in a group setting • Follow up on the insights gathered and communicate a plan of action to address any issues or implement new ideas • Regularly express gratitude and appreciation for your team's hard work and dedication The goal of 'Listening Sessions' is to create a psychologically safe environment where your team feels heard and valued. By actively seeking out their input and showing empathy for their struggles, you build trust and foster a sense of belonging. Remember, as a leader, your team looks to you for guidance and inspiration, especially during tough times. By choosing optimism and taking action to reignite hope, you set the tone for your entire organization. Your resilience and determination in the face of challenges will be the catalyst for your team's success. So when the chips are down, go HARD or go SOFT. Your team is counting on you to lead the way. Join the 12,000+ leaders who get our weekly email newsletter. https://lnkd.in/en9vxeNk

Last week I shared something that caused a lot of reaction from the CS community: CSM burnout. First of all, apologies to the CSM who started that thread on Reddit, I had no bad intention of making this post, and I did it with a positive outcome in mind. I think I accomplished what I wanted: bring this very important topic to the surface. Not that it was a secret. So today, I want to write a follow-up. What can CS leaders do to help their team succeed during these tough times? Here are 10 things I would consider: 1. Establish regular feedback loops and take action: Create structured mechanisms for CSMs to provide feedback regularly, whether through one-on-one meetings, surveys, or team retrospectives. 2. Process improvement: Identify pain points in existing processes and workflows and work with your team to streamline or automate tasks wherever possible. How can you make your CSM's job easier? 3. Provide resources and training: Ensure that your CSMs have access to the tools, training, and support they need to perform their roles effectively. This may include investing in additional training programs or expanding the team. 4. Capacity planning: Proactively manage workload and resource allocation by implementing effective capacity planning strategies. Regularly assess team bandwidth and client demands to ensure that CSMs are not overburdened with excessive workloads. 5. Promote work-life balance: Encourage a healthy work-life balance by setting realistic expectations around workload and deadlines. Offer flexible work arrangements, time off, or mental health resources to support CSMs in managing stress and avoiding burnout. 6. Acknowledge hard work: Regularly recognize and celebrate the achievements and contributions of your CSMs. This could be through public praise in team meetings, personalized notes of appreciation, or performance bonuses. 7. Foster a supportive culture: Cultivate a culture of collaboration, trust, and support within the team. Encourage open communication, peer mentorship, and a willingness to help each other out during challenging times. 8. Provide professional development opportunities: Invest in the professional growth and development of your CSMs by offering opportunities for skill-building, career advancement, and cross-functional training. 9. Create a clear career path: Define clear career paths and progression opportunities for CSMs within the organization. Outline expectations for performance and advancement criteria, and provide guidance and support for those looking to grow in their roles. 10. Lead by example: Lead by example as a supportive and empathetic leader. Demonstrate active listening, empathy, and responsiveness to your team's needs. When times get tough, lead through uncertainty and push your team through. They will appreciate it.

Let's talk about something that's been on my mind lately: why do people really leave their jobs? Sure, there are plenty of reasons like career growth, personal reasons, a career break, better opportunities, or a change of scenery. But there's one big factor that often gets overlooked: bad leadership. Research from the Harvard Business Review showed that a whopping 75% of people voluntarily leaving jobs don't quit their jobs, they quit their bosses (direct or dotted-line ones). It's not the company culture or the job itself driving people away; it's the quality of leadership they're experiencing day in and day out. Now, you might be wondering, what exactly makes a leader "bad"? Well, it could be a lack of communication, micromanagement, failure to provide feedback, or even a disregard for work-life balance. These behaviors not only demotivate employees but can also lead to increased stress, burnout, and ultimately, the decision to pack up and leave. So, what's the big deal if a few employees decide to move on, right? Wrong. The impact of losing talented individuals due to poor leadership can be devastating for a company. It's not just about the cost of hiring and training replacements; it's about the loss of institutional knowledge, team morale, and productivity. Here are 4 actions that can be taken to retain top talents: 1) Prioritize Communication and Transparency: Keep your team informed about company goals, changes, and decisions. Encourage open dialogue and actively listen to their concerns and ideas. 2) Foster a Culture of Trust and Autonomy: Avoid micromanaging, which stifles creativity and breeds resentment. Give your team members the freedom to take ownership of their work and trust them to deliver results. 3) Provide Regular Feedback and Recognition: Acknowledge your team's hard work and achievements. Offer constructive feedback to help them grow and develop professionally. 4) Lead by Example: Demonstrate integrity, empathy, and resilience in your actions and decisions. Show your team that you're invested in their success and well-being. By implementing these strategies, we can create an environment where the top talent feels valued, supported, and motivated to stay and grow with the company. Remember, being a leader isn't just about guiding a team to achieve business goals; it's about empowering individuals to reach their full potential and creating an environment where everyone can thrive. So, let's commit to being the kind of leaders our teams deserve – the kind that people want to follow, not flee from 😅 What are your thoughts on it? I would love to hear more about it from your experience! Reference: Harvard Business Review: "Why People Quit Their Jobs" by Travis Bradberry, June 2015.

Do you want to lead a top-performing team? Someone once shared with me that a true sign of a strong team is how they operate and perform when their leader is absent. This idea stuck with me, and I became curious about what it would take to build a team that could function at a high level without me. I concluded that if I wanted my team to be the best, I needed to make myself less of a factor (”zero” myself out). Not so I can disappear and play golf; I am horrible, by the way, but more so to ensure the team continues to elevate. With that, I asked myself a couple of questions: - What do I need to do differently as a team leader? - What factors should I consider as I go through this process? Here's what I landed on: 1. Empower Through Delegation: Give your team autonomy and ownership over meeting agendas, projects, and tasks while providing guidance and support when needed. Trusting your team members to make decisions fosters confidence and boosts morale. 2. Encourage Collaboration: Foster a culture of collaboration where ideas are valued, respectfully challenged, and everyone's voice is heard. Encourage open communication and teamwork to leverage the collective intelligence of your team. Collaboration not only enhances creativity but also strengthens togetherness. 3. Provide Ongoing Development: Invest in your team's growth by offering continuous learning opportunities. Whether through 1:1 connects, team calls, or training programs, prioritize their development. 4. Provide Access: Connect your team to different departments and resources within your company. To enhance their network, try to give them access to some of the leaders and decision-makers you interact with. This not only gives them valuable exposure but also allows them to gather information and influence decisions. 5. Celebrate Successes: Recognize and celebrate your team's achievements. Celebrating successes reinforces positive behavior and motivates the team to continue their collective journey. Remember: -Be present daily for your team. -Success belongs to the team; the leader owns any misses. -Tailor your approach to your team's abilities. -Enjoy watching your team grow! #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #TeamSuccess

Dear leaders There is one thing you can do for your employees every single day. And it doesn’t cost a dime. I had the most brilliant leader. In many ways, he inspired me to be the leader I was then and the leader I am today. Even as perfect as he sounds. He had a blind spot in his leadership too (we all do!). He failed to acknowledge his team. And this is the case with many leaders.  We fail to recognize the extraordinary impact of something that sounds so simple.  Yet when leaders fail to do so they are met with: * Decreased Motivation: Leading to a decrease in motivation and enthusiasm for their work.  * Low Morale: When efforts and achievements go unnoticed, your team may start to question the significance of their contributions. * Reduced Trust and Respect: A leader who fails to acknowledge their team's efforts may be perceived as indifferent or dismissive. Impaired Performance: Your team may become less willing to go above and beyond their basic job responsibilities. * Negative Impact on Team Culture: When individuals feel that their efforts are not recognized, they may become less inclined to support and collaborate with their colleagues. * Hindered Talent Development: Your team may be less motivated to develop their skills and take on new challenges stifling personal and professional growth within the team, leading to a lack of progress and innovation. And as a result, the business and organization results will suffer. By acknowledging your team you: *** Foster Motivation and Engagement: You empower them and recognize their contributions. boosting their motivation and encouraging them to take ownership of their work. *** Build Trust and Respect: You show that you value their expertise and opinions. Building trust and respect, fostering a culture of openness and collaboration.  *** Promote Growth and Development: They’ll seek out opportunities for self-improvement and professional development. *** Enhance Team Cohesion: Creating a sense of unity and cohesion within the team, helping them understand that their contributions are valued and that their input is essential to the team's success.  *** Reduce Micromanagement: Leaders who trust their team are more likely to delegate tasks and responsibilities effectively, allowing team members to take ownership of their work and demonstrate their leadership capabilities. *** Cultivate a Positive Culture: Recognizing the efforts and achievements of team members cultivates a sense of appreciation and gratitude. This in turn, attracts and retains top talent, as people are more likely to thrive and enjoy their work in such an environment. This isn’t about just saying something to say it. It’s about being present and identifying the behaviors that are driving your organization forward. Reinforcing those behaviors. And the people making contributions day in and day out for your organization to be successful. #executivecoaching  #executivesandmanagement #leadership  #management