Having a stressed-out team is bad, right? Well, not exactly. Seasoned managers know that if you’re trying to drum up new business, get a customer’s order out on time, or hit your numbers for the quarter, a little stress goes a long way. The key is to put the right amount of pressure on your team. That way they’re motivated to perform at their best — but aren’t pulling their hair out or losing sleep. If you believe there’s too little stress on your team, consider increasing the frequency and pointedness of your coaching. The moment that an employee knows you’re noticing her behavior, her stress levels will naturally rise. For example, imagine you have rolled out new sales management software but you’re struggling to get all of your salespeople to input their activity. Try simple feedback such as, “It’s Wednesday and I’m only seeing three opportunities in the funnel for this week.” Pair the feedback with a question such as, “What time of day works best for you to input your meetings?”
Adapted from "How to Put the Right Amount of Pressure on Your Team," by Liane Davey
