Let trust cultivate between you and your team. How?
Be Open with Your Team
Well, for starters, always be honest and transparent. Let them know what’s going on. If your team don’t trust you, it becomes increasingly difficult to motivate them. Why should they listen to someone they don’t trust? Do you want your team to feel driven, ambitious and inspired? Well, make them feel that way.
If you feel that your team don’t trust you, or you want them to, it might be a good idea to outright ask what they think. Set up meetings and actually discuss what trust means to them. Maybe even ask if they trust you. These types of conversations should be completely open and sincere. Once you’ve clarified how you all feel in a direct and truthful manner, this honesty is likely to spark a newfound trust (and therefore motivation) within your team.
Trust Your Team
They’ve been hired for a reason. Simply put: trust them to do their jobs. If they have an interesting, fresh idea that they would like to test, have faith in them to execute it (within reason, of course).
The feeling of other team members or managers constantly breathing down your neck to check what you’re doing just causes a defensive – sometimes insulted – reaction. If they are trusted to use their initiative, motivation levels will rise. Fact. If you can trust your team to do what they have to do, it’s actually possible that you will be inspired too.
Build a Team Spirit and Open Communication
Your sales team will thrive in a trusting environment. They are working together in most circumstances, after all. Team members should feel comfortable enough to be able to voice opinions and exchange constructive criticism. They need to communicate. A refreshing team spirit certainly helps to build a foundation of trust; if team members feel a sense of unity and solidarity with one another, not only does this boost trust, but it also stimulates motivation. “We’re all in this together” should be a belief and a reality.
So, top tips to take away: Keep your team in the loop, let them use their creativity, and build an open culture where honesty is key. Reciprocal trust will undoubtedly emerge, and motivation in your sales team should flourish.
