The end of the year is always the busiest of times for a team and the entire company. Teams need to finish the year with a bang so they can start next year strong, motivated and ready to tackle future challenges. Here are the top ways to finish the year on a high note with your team:
1. Reflect on the business year as a team
The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect on the past year. You can have a short meeting with your entire team to discuss the team’s wins, accomplishments and reached targets. Try to keep this meeting short and concise in order to make the points effective and heard. Be vocal about everything that went great.
Address the shortcoming too, but focus more on the positive. The point here is to show everyone how much you, as a team leader or a manager, value their achievements. Every team role is important, so make sure to express your gratitude.
2. Schedule feedback sessions
Previously mentioned general meeting served to thank the entire team for their efforts and commitment. Individual feedback sessions should take place after this initial meeting. In order to finish the year strong as a team, you should give individual feedback.
Let everyone know in advance that you will have one on one conversation with each team member. Hold these talks somewhere private, where everyone will feel safe. Let them know in advance so they can prepare mentally.
Make sure to keep it informal and friendly because people tend to view any type of feedback as a critique. In order to grow, one must hear about their strengths and weaknesses so they can turn them into strengths. This will help team members grow in the future, perform better and keep their motivation high.
3. Team members should give their feedback, too
Every team member is responsible for the success of the team as a whole. When the team works towards the same goal, they all work very hard to contribute according to their team role. Give everyone a chance to express their feedback during one on one sessions. Feedback is a two-way street so managers can learn how their actions can be improved to support the team as a whole.
Every opinion is valuable so you should give everyone a chance to express their views. Both positive and negative feedback are equally important. Positive feedback can further strengthen performance. One the other hand, negative feedback can pinpoint weaknesses and allow you to turn these into the strengths of your team.
4. Celebrate your team
Once you finish individual feedback sessions, it is time to express your gratitude. Celebrate your team right there in the office. You can celebrate this just like Australians do – by having some cake and drinks on a Friday afternoon.
A celebration is incomplete without a slice of cake so they rely on the best cake shop in Sydney to deliver this sweet treat. You can find a local one and surprise your team with a custom made cake. This will surely add some fun to the last workday of the week. People will get a chance to mingle, chit chat, have fun and strengthen their bond as a team.
5. Set clear goals
The end of the year serves to inform your team members of your next steps. The year is coming to an end so it’s time to outline future goals. Everyone loves to have concise goals in front of them so they can be motivated to achieve them.
Be open to a brainstorming session too. Many employees are creative and have great analytical skills so they can contribute with ideas and ways to achieve set goals. This will also show that their opinion is appreciated and increase the positive team spirit.
6. Express your gratitude via social media
Lastly, take your gratitude and express it over the official company social media channels. If you are grateful for your team’s success over the past year, tell it to the world. Highlight the most important achievement and show it off to the world. Everyone will see how much you appreciate your team and that your company culture is positive and powerful.
Wrapping things up in a positive manner can ensure you start a new year strong. So, take the time to address every individual in your team and celebrate your successes together.
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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