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Have you ever taken a spin class? Whether at home on a stationary bike or in a mirrored room filled with people, you know this form of exercise is going to be hard work. The initial pedaling feels like you’re moving the bike through thick mud. You apply so much effort to get the wheels spinning, pressing hard to catch up to the instructor’s speed. Then, once you get moving, the momentum propels the wheels to spin faster with less effort on your part (until the instructor changes the incline). And, unlike a regular bike, when you stop pedaling, the wheels continue to spin. This is known as a flywheel. It makes for a challenging yet rewarding workout. The same is true when the “flywheel effect” is applied to team management. It may be challenging at first, but it is absolutely rewarding. Great effort is needed to get the wheels spinning, but once momentum takes off, your team will go further faster and continue to spin toward success even if you—the manager—take your feet off the pedals.

When you apply the “flywheel effect” to your team, you will encourage each team member to raise their own bar which in turn raises the bar of the company. Include these three things in your team development initiatives, and you’ll increase momentum and inspire your team to raise their own bar.

1. Start with a Highlight Reel

In sports, everyone loves a good highlight reel. Watching the best of the best is both fascinating and inspiring. You can inspire others to work harder or perform better and promote appreciation and respect for others when you regularly share individual and team highlights. In many companies, rewards and incentives are given to those who spot a problem and solve it. Instead, spend five to ten minutes during each meeting focusing on your team’s strengths. Celebrate those who do something well or model excellent performance rather than focusing on what’s going wrong.

2. Practice Makes Perfect

The old adage, “practice makes perfect,” is applied to those who want to excel. Whether playing a sport or a musical instrument, memorizing lines for a play, singing, photography, you name it. What if we apply this to business as well? Train your team to practice certain behaviors as if it’s a skill they’re determined to perfect. Encourage each team member to do one of two things: one, select a skill they are currently good at but want to become great at. Or two, identify a blind spot they’d like to overcome. Each team member should intentionally work on developing their chosen skill. Your company will thrive when others begin to recognize—and utilize—their team member’s “signature strength.”

3. Review Game-Tape

Take time during team meetings to review “performances” like presentations, budget reviews, and client meetings. Analyze how the team is collaborating and look for ways to improve strategy and increase outputs. Use this time to circle back to tip #1 and recognize what went well and who stepped up. While it feels more natural to keep looking forward and move on to the next project or presentation, taking time to reflect on past events can help motivate your team to keep up the good work or identify issues that stalled progress.

At Trinity Training and Development, our goal is to equip managers and supervisors with the necessary tools to improve employee engagement and performance To learn more about how to successfully motivate your team and inspire them to raise the bar, contact us today.