How to motivate your team like a World Cup coach?

The entire world is looking to Russia as the country hosts the 21st FIFA World Cup for the first time. With 32 eager national teams fighting for the crown, the battle just to reach the international tournament has been fierce and even saw former champions, such as Italy fail to make the cut, which shows that success not only depends on talent but on the right motivation.

Be it on the field or in the office, managing a team demands great technique and careful strategy that will work together to help you reach your goals and bag a win. Here are a few tips on how to manage your team like a World Cup coach.

Explain the reason why
If a team doesn't understand why they're being asked to perform in a certain way, they may lose their motivation. In order to avoid this, a great coach doesn't just tell players what to do but will give them a reason to do it. For instance, a team that's told to be defensive at the start of the game might actually be more motivated to attack, but by explaining the strategy, such as letting the opponent make their first move, the players will better understand their position in the game.

When working on a project with your team, be sure to involve each member as much as possible and to always explain your directions. Once a person is given a reason for a certain action, they will understand the strategy and purpose of the directions, and be more motivated to perform well.

Celebrate small successes
While winning is the ultimate goal, victory is a process of getting the ball into the net. When watching a football match, you will often see the coach on the sidelines praising every good action of the team. As trying to score a goal in a competitive match can be frustrating, constant encouragement is vital to keep the entire team motivated.

Similarly, it's a long and hard process to make a project successful. With endless revisions, client requests, and tight deadlines, it's easy to lose motivation and drive. To keep morale up, celebrate your team's smaller achievements, such as a creative breakthrough, a great first draft or positive client feedback.

Set tangible goals
Since not everyone on the team actually gets to score goals, experienced coaches will set manageable long-term and short-term goals for each player. This technique not only helps to keep everyone equally motivated but works as a support system for players. While winning the World Cup is a very lofty goal for any team, individual, short-term goals are something everyone can work towards.

The setting of goals is nothing new in the business world, as most employees will have their own performance goals that managers will measure them against. When working on a team project, you can attach smaller goals to the individual tasks of each group member. Unlike the annual performance review, the key for managers is to not be too analytical but to set very manageable goals and offer constant feedback to keep people motivated.

Encourage competitiveness
Most football players can be motivated by awakening their competitive sense. This in and of itself does not necessarily lead to scoring or winning, but can lead to increased performance, like racking up the majority of tackles.

Competitiveness is an equally driving force in the business world. However, it's important to be strategic about encouraging competition within the team. For a group of people to work together efficiently, they shouldn't be competitive with each other, but rather should strive for a common goal, such as winning a pitch or securing a new deal.

When leading a team, it's crucial to remember that while there are star players, they alone won't be able to win. It's a strong team will lead you to victory.