How to Bring Out the Best in Your Team

A human-centered guide for leaders who want to build motivated, high-performing teams

It’s Not Just About Managing—It’s About Inspiring

In today’s world of work, being a “boss” isn’t enough. People don’t just want to be told what to do—they want to be led, seen, and inspired. Whether leading a remote team, managing a fast-paced department, or building a startup, your ability to bring out the best in your people directly impacts your success.

Why does this matter?

Because most workplaces are missing the mark. According to Gallup’s 2023 State of the Global Workplace Report:

• Only 23% of employees are engaged globally.

• 59% are "quiet quitting"—doing the bare minimum.

• Teams with high engagement levels are 21% more profitable and 17% more productive.

So, how do you shift from managing tasks to unlocking potential? It starts with how you show up as a leader and the environment you create. 

Understand Why Team Potential Often Goes Untapped

First, you must understand what gets in the way of bringing out the best in others.

1. Modern teams face new challenges

• Remote work can cause disconnection.

• Generational gaps can create communication issues.

• Constant change can lead to stress and burnout.

2. People are often unclear on what "great work" means

• Do they know what’s expected?

• Do they know how to grow?

• Do they feel their strengths are being used?

When expectations are unclear and recognition is rare, people tend to:

• Hold back ideas

• Avoid taking initiative

• Feel undervalued or replaceable

Insight: If you want your team to shine, create clarity. Help them understand what success looks like and why their work matters.

Build Unshakable Trust to Create a Safe Environment

Before people do their best work, they need to feel safe—safe enough to speak up, take risks, and ask for help.

That kind of safety is built on trust. And trust has three parts:

1. Be authentic (the real you)

• Don’t try to copy someone else’s leadership style.

• Share stories, values, or struggles that shaped you.

• Admit when you’re unsure or have made a mistake.

Example: A leader who says, “I’m learning this along with you” builds far more connection than one who pretends to know everything.

2. Show sound reasoning (your logic)

• Back up your decisions with data, fairness, or clear reasoning.

• Explain the "why" behind what you’re asking.

• Stay calm and thoughtful during tough conversations.

Example: Instead of saying, “We need to cut costs,” say, “To keep the team together long-term, we need to cut 10% in overhead—here’s the breakdown.”

3. Demonstrate care and empathy

• Check in on people as humans, not just workers.

• Ask, “How are you, really?” and wait for the answer.

• Support work-life boundaries and personal well-being.

Example: A manager who notices someone’s been quiet and says, “You’ve seemed off this week—want to talk?” creates deeper bonds.

Insight: Trust isn’t built in speeches. It’s built in the small moments, especially when things go wrong.

Make People Want to Excel, Not Just Obey

When people feel trusted, they don’t need to be pushed—they want to perform. However, the environment must encourage ownership, feedback, and recognition to maintain that desire.

1. Give people room to lead - if it’s on their Accountability Chart (AC), let them own it.

• Avoid micromanaging. It kills creativity.

• Say, “I trust you to figure out the best way—how can I support you?”

• Allow team members to own projects from start to finish.

Tip: Autonomy is one of the top motivators, especially for Millennials and Gen Z, who comprise 46% of the workforce (Pew Research, 2024).

2. Offer clear, helpful feedback during 1:1s or Quarterly Conversations

• Feedback should be regular, not just during annual reviews.

• Be specific: “Your summary helped us get buy-in” is more potent than “Good job.”

• Create two-way feedback loops. Ask your team how you can improve, too.

Tip: Feedback is a gift. Frame it that way: “Can I offer a thought that might help next time?”

3. Link work to personal goals—imagine a Rock (quarterly project) that supports organizational goals and personal growth.

• Ask what motivates each team member—career growth? Flexibility? Recognition?

• Assign projects that match their passions and talents.

• Help them connect daily work to long-term vision.

Tip: Use one-on-ones not just to discuss tasks but also to ask, “Where do you see yourself growing this year?”

4. Celebrate progress—not just perfection. Show your team how their efforts align with your Core Values.

• Recognition drives retention. A simple "thank you" can double engagement (OC Tanner, 2023).

• Call out both effort and results.

• Celebrate team wins publicly; individual wins personally.

📌 Insight: People don’t burn out from working hard. They burn out from feeling unseen, unvalued, or stagnant.

Make Trust and Growth a Daily Practice

Now that you’ve seen what works, here’s how to put it into motion.

1. Start with a “Trust Inventory”

Ask yourself:

• When was the last time I admitted a mistake?

• Do I explain the “why” behind my decisions?

• Do my team members know I care about their well-being?

If the answer is “not often,” pick one trust habit to practice this week.

2. Clarify expectations

• Don’t assume your team knows what great looks like.

• Define what success means for each role and project.

• Write it down. Discuss it together.

Example: Instead of saying “Create a marketing plan,” say “We need a three-page proposal outlining strategy, budget, and launch timeline.”

3. Build feedback into your culture

• Ask: “What’s one thing I could do better as your manager?”

• Give positive feedback in public and constructive feedback in private.

• Train your team to give peer-to-peer feedback too.

4. Reinforce the mission and meaning

• Remind your team why their work matters.

• Use real stories—customer wins, favorable outcomes, and impact data.

• Create traditions that connect work to purpose (e.g., weekly wins, mission moments, team values wall).

📌 Insight: Great teams aren’t built overnight. They’re built over time through consistent, intentional acts of leadership.

Conclusion: What You Do Daily Shapes Who Your Team Becomes

Bringing out the best in your team isn’t about fixing people—it’s about supporting them so they can better support you.

When people feel trusted, heard, empowered, and appreciated, they give more, grow faster, and stay longer.

So, pause and ask yourself:

• Am I leading with clarity and care?

• Am I creating a space where people can thrive?

• Am I growing leaders, not just followers?

The best teams don’t need to be pushed.They just need to be believed in.

Information gathered from HBR