Darn, That Was a Short Weekend
Finding ways to boost our team's energy when it's lagging
The “Mondays are a drag” trope is many decades old. It persists as a trope because it reflects the experience that many people have.
If you and/or your team are dragging this (or any) Monday morning, consider how you can boost enthusiasm.
Communication: It might be as simple as going around to each member of your team and checking in: ask them how their weekend was, what they are prioritizing for the day and for the week, and then building them up from there. Engage on the weekend stuff (authentically, e.g. an appropriate “Sounds like fun!” or “Sorry you were dealing with that” is always better than a “yeah, yeah, whatever” type of I-don’t-care response).
Ask if there is anything they need to help them (resources, an extra set of hands or eyes, etc.) tackle the week’s priorities, then help them get what they need. Give them genuine positive feedback that reinforces them in the ways that matter to them: their competency, their helpfulness, their expertise, their contribution, their effort, their value to you and to the team, or simply a “Sounds like you’ve got this. Awesome.” Different people care about different validations. Really listen, and be real with them.
Give them a cookie: Perhaps you can find out what everyone’s favorite snack is, and bring in something for each person. “Here’s a banana/chocolate bar/gluten-free muffin/Coke/some Doritos to help you start your week.” This is more effective if you personalize it to each person, but it can have a mild effect if you bring in something like a box of donuts for the team and let them pick from it. The downside of donuts is that anyone who is diabetic/gluten-free/watching calories, etc. might actually feel worse and left out, which is why the “what’s your favorite?” is a more successful option. Consider asking people at the end of each week (e.g., “You still like gummy bears?”), so you know what to bring in for the next week.
Watch your timing for negative feedback: If there is a problem from the previous week, make sure you don’t crush your people with negativity if they are already dragging. Focus on the action plan of making the fix, not assigning blame.
Happy Monday! (offers each reader a virtual cookie)
(Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash)