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By learning how to positively charge their employees, supervisors can create their own dream team. The first step in learning how to motivate a team is to be aware of how you interact with them. Communicate openly and honestly with employees. Acknowledge employees' behavior, both good and bad, immediately. Recognize and reward employees' achievements, both individually and total team effort. Encourage and praise people who perform outstandingly as well as employees who help solve problems and make decisions.

Have you ever dreamed of managing an all-star team? Have you wondered what it would be like to lead a team of highly motivated employees who strive to reach their peak performance every day, who enjoy the continual challenge of improving results, who genuinely care about their peers and their company, and who maintain confident, positive attitudes?

You can learn how to make this dream a reality. The words you use and the actions you choose can motivate your team to new heights. By learning how to positively charge your employees, you can create your own dream team. Every word you say, everything you do can inspire, uplift and challenge your employees to be their best.

What you say and do can motivate your team to new heights. Choosing positive words can lift your employees' spirits. You can create an aura and atmosphere your employees will want to emulate. Acting in an energized, cheerful manner will rub off on your employees.

On the other hand, what you say and do can deflate your team's spirit. Choosing words that denigrate and demoralize can zap your employees' moods quickly. Acting in a negative manner will rub off on your employees.

Positive people give positive charges that boost energy. Negative people give negative charges that zap energy. And people who are impassive -- neither positive nor negative? Because employees don't know where they stand with this type of manager, their brightness will slowly fade until their lights go out completely. Until they no longer care.

What type of people do you like to be around? Those who are positive, those who are negative or those who are impassive?

Positively charging your employees to be their best does not require special skills. It does require constantly being aware to use positive words and open, nonthreatening body language when you interact with your employees. Being a skilled motivator is a skill you acquire. Anyone can learn how to positively motivate their employees.

The first step in learning to motivate your team is to be aware of how you interact with them. Think about how you talk to your employees - do you use words that are uplifting, words that make people feel good about themselves? Think about your body language - do you stand with an open pose, your arms comfortably by your sides; do you maintain eye contact when speaking; do you smile and laugh easily?

Motivating is being sincere in everything you do - when you praise good performance choose words that genuinely convey your thoughts. When you discuss areas of improvement or poor performance choose words that will constructively turn your corrective session into a motivational session where your employee comes away feeling worthy and wanting to improve.

Motivation is not showering constant praise on your employees while ignoring discipline issues. While a shower of praise may initially motivate your employees, it won't take long for them to view the incessant praise as a shallow and insincere method to motivate them.

Be genuinely interested in your employees as people, too. Get to know them. Show your employees you CARE by Communicating openly and honestly, Acknowledging performance and behavior, Recognizing their accomplishments, and Encouraging them to always be their best.

Communicate openly and honestly with your employees. It is impossible to motivate if you do not communicate. Communication is the foundation to developing an all-star team. Learn to actively listen to the person with whom you are communicating. Focus solely on that person and shut out everything else. Show you are interested in communicating with that person only.

In order for your employees to want to be their best they must know how to be their best. Tell them what is expected of them. Tell them how you expect them to behave. Make sure they understand their job description, goals and objectives. Set clear performance standards and make sure they are committed to achieving their goals. Also tell them what role they play in meeting overall company expectations. Always ask questions to insure their understanding and support.

Maintain a cheerful and enthusiastic attitude. Think before you speak and choose uplifting words. Think before you speak and ask yourself how will what I say sound to my listener? Be aware of your body language and maintain an open, relaxed and confident demeanor. Be a positive role model. Be the kind of person other people like to be around.

The best way to communicate with your employees is to spend time with them. Be available to answer questions, to talk to your employees, to laugh with them, to make them feel good about coming to work. Even if you have a hectic schedule set aside time each day to spend with your employees. It isn't the quantity of time you spend with them, it's the quality of time.

Acknowledge your employees' behavior, both good and bad, immediately. When you spend time with your employees you are going to observe their performance. You will have specific instances to talk to them about. When you give feedback, make sure it is specific to the behavior you observed. Communicate in a way that is fair, non-threatening, positive and maintains the employee's self-esteem. When you finish speaking allow the employee time to acknowledge what you said.

When someone does something right, tell your employee what you like about her actions. Be as specific as you can. Saying "You did a good job today" is too broad. It does not express to the employee the behavior you are praising. "I liked the way you handled the customer when you said-- "lets the employee know specifically what you liked. The employee will remember what you liked and the behavior is more apt to be repeated.

It is a great motivator to praise an employee in public - as long as you know the employee is comfortable with praise in front of her peers. Some people do not feel comfortable receiving accolades in front of others. If you have an employee who is uncomfortable with this take her aside to praise her. Always make eye contact when you praise your employees.

It is never all right to reprimand or discuss poor performance in public. Always take an employee aside when you need to discuss a performance issue. Even if you choose positive words, you are still talking about the employee's sub-standard performance, and no one except the employee should hear that. Make sure you continue to offer positive feedback to those employees who consistently do it right. Try to give them additional responsibilities so they may continue to grow. Choose additional responsibilities that will enhance their self-esteem, such as training other employees, leading meetings or taking over your duties when you are away.

When you are with your employees be on the look out to "catch them doing something right." While catching someone doing something wrong will stop incorrect behavior, catching someone doing something right will encourage the employee to do it right again.

Recognize and reward employees' achievements, both individually and total team efforts. Schedule regular recognition meetings to commend employees. Recognize outstanding performance, read commendation letters from customers, allow time for people to say thanks to someone who went out of his way to help another employee. Praise your employees for their outside achievements as well.

Designate a bulletin board to post your team's achievements, both in exceeding company commitments and in recognizing outstanding individual performance. Try to show your appreciation in creative ways. Form a committee of peers and set up criteria to name an employee of the month. Maybe you can designate a special parking spot for that employee.

If your budget allows, give awards as a token of your appreciation for outstanding performance. It does not have to be something extravagant; treat the employee to lunch, buy a box of candy, give a movie or restaurant gift certificate.

If your budget allows you to offer compensation to reward employees, again it does not have to be an extravagant gesture; a small bonus; an hour off with pay; or an extended lunch hour.

Beware -- there is a danger in offering awards and compensation. Be very careful so the rewards or compensation do not become the employee's motivation to do well. Let the best reward be a feeling of pride in doing a job well done. In other words, praise a lot more than you award or compensate.

Encourage and praise people who perform outstandingly as well as employees who help solve problems and make decisions. Never underestimate the power of a word of encouragement. Or a smile, or a pat on the back or a thumbs up ... you get the idea.

Be consistent with your team. People want to know they can expect the same treatment from their manager or supervisor day after day. Be interested in each employee. Get to know them both personally and professionally. Find out what motivates them. Treat your employees as though they are each equally important to you. It's easy to treat the achievers better, but isn't it more important to help every employee become an achiever?

Become a successful motivator by being aware of your own actions and words. Be the kind of person you want your employees to be like. Be your best at all times.

It's human nature to want to be noticed and recognized when we do something well. We all want to hear a word of encouragement. We all want to know we are needed. We all want to know others care for us. By showing your employees you CARE by communicating, acknowledging, recognizing and encouraging them you will motivate them to strive to be their best in everything. A