Think about the last conference you attended. There was an Emcee, maybe it was Leslie Samuel. They brought a level of excitement to the event. They pumped it up.
The organizer didn’t want the event to be low-energy. So, they pumped up the energy.
When an organization lacks energy, the people soon begin to wander. They don’t see a future, personal growth, or a way forward. These people will likely leave if they don’t find enjoyment in their work.
Photo by Micah Tindell on Unsplash
But there’s something you can do to pump up your team. To bring excitement to your organization.
We’re going to look at 3 ways you can pump up your team. This isn’t a ploy to trick people; it’s a way to make sure they’re engaged and aligned with the organization.
3 Ways To Pump Up Your People
1. Give them autonomy:
Have you ever been in an organization where you had no free thought? Everything had to be run by management and approved?
There are many organizations that still see work in this way. You can’t let someone think for themselves. You have to get everything approved.
That’s a poor way to run an organization. It’s an even poorer way to treat people.
People often long to make their own decisions. And then own the results, whether it’s good or bad.
By giving your people autonomy, or the ability to decide how their work gets done, you open up a world of possibilities. You also pump up your people because you’ve given them the authority to make decisions on their own.
2. Manufacture Excitement:
Nathan Jones, an actor and former WWE wrestler, shared on Facebook how the WWE would manufacture excitement when there wasn’t any. According to his Facebook post, the WWE would do the following:
If there was a wrestler they were trying to put over and the crowd wasn’t vibing with them, you would hear boos from the audience. In the worst-case scenario, there would be dead silence. No crowd reaction. For those in the wrestling world, that’s death.
He goes on to say:
So what did the WWE do? They’d pump in crowd noise. Literal cheers through the arena speakers. Sometimes, they would even pipe in chants for the wrestler such as “Rocky, Rocky!” if the audience didn’t care for the wrestler. Jones would then watch from the monitors backstage. The crowd slowly begins to fall in line. The fake reaction gave them permission to cheer.
What did the WWE do to pump up the crowd? They manufactured the result they wanted. They created a way to change the attitude of the wrestling fans.
Sometimes, there’s little to no excitement in your organization. You’re struggling to increase the excitement level, gain engagement, or make things more fun. What can you do?
You manufacture what you want until you get the results you’re looking for.
How could you do this?
- Ask one or two team members to be the cheer squad. Whatever is happening, they bring the excitement!
- Install an audio system and pump in energizing music.
- Find a few excited customers. Continue to share their stories.
When people see others having a good time, enjoying a product, or finding work fulfilling, it can change how others feel.
3. Recognize excellent performance:
Yeah, you’re paying your people. Maybe even better than a fair wage. However, they can still feel unseen.
Why?
Because they’re not interacting with you. They’re not being encouraged and told how their work matters.
People want to be recognized, albeit in different ways. Don’t overlook the importance of recognizing the great work your team accomplishes. The more positive results you recognize, the more positive actions you’ll receive.
Pump It Up, Now!
Now you know three ways to pump up your team. Recognize their hard work. Manufacture excitement. Give them some free will.
Put the suggestions into action. Try them out. See if they work.
I bet they will.
