How to Help Your Teams Meet Targets

You were promoted to leadership because you were good at your old job. Now you are expected to help your teams meet targets, but without doing the work with the team. How is that possible?

The most common problem that I coach around is micromanagement, which is the first symptom from my “9 Symptoms of Highly Ineffective Leaders.” As a leader, you don’t do the activities that are tasked to your team members, you must “rise above” the activity and pave the way for your team.

Here’s how to help your teams meet targets:

1. Set realistic targets – Targets should be a stretch, but still achievable if the team pulls together. Ask the team for input on the targets. They know better than you about the work.

2. Remove barriers – Your job is to remove anything that is stopping or slowing down the team. This could be old technology, lack of clear communication, or missing skills on the team. Whatever they reasonably need, it is your responsibility to ensure they get it. The team should be focused on getting the work done, not on the other “stuff.”

3. Revisit targets – Targets can change due to significant changes in the environment. If the targets are not updated your team could be demotivated because they know they’ll never reach the unrealistic goals.

4. Reinforce & reward – Especially if your team is new working together or is trying out untried skills, they need reinforcement to help them continue moving forward on their project.

5. Create clear line of sight – You must show how achieving their targets fits with the long-term goals of the organization. Teams lose commitment if their project does not make a difference to the company.

6. Do not set up competition between team members – Team members should support each other, not compete with each other, in order to achieve team targets. Competition can cause conflict and wasted resources. You want your team to be focused on the prize, not the fight!

Add a comment below on trying these ideas or other things you have tried to help your team to meet targets.

To read about micro-management click on Do Micromanagers Trust their Employees?

To get a copy of "9 Symptoms of Highly Ineffective Leaders" email me at Valerie.MacLeod@HainesCentre.com.