6 Ways to Motivate Your Proposal Team
We all know that proposal teams are not always made up of
willing participants. As proposal professionals, we continually struggle to
find ways to motivate our teams and ensure we are getting the best results
possible. This article will explore strategies to energize and add life into
your proposal teams.
Tina Benson suggests in an article published on the Chartered Management Institute website
that, “By and large, teams reflect their management. So being an effective,
proactive manager increases your team’s changes of achieving success.” In line
with Benson’s suggestions, as a Proposal Manager, you can make great strides in
increasing the motivation level of your team with the following six steps.
1. Contextualize the
Contributions of the Team. We write proposals to win business. This means
that the contributions of your proposal team create (or keep) jobs—often for
those participating in the proposal development. Proposals drive revenue growth
and maintenance for companies, and ultimately support keeping the company in
business. Remind your team that their contributions are critical to the company
in these important ways!
2. Instill a Sense of
Ownership to the Final Outcome. Building on the contextualization of the
team’s contributions, encourage a winning attitude among the team. Submitting
the highest quality product possible will increase the team’s chances of
winning; make sure to reinforce this fact regularly. Winning can mean different
things for different contributors: a bonus, a new job opportunity on the
upcoming contract, retaining work on a current contract, etc. Remind your team
that all parts of the proposal process are meant to support the win, and
encourage individual contributors to work as a team to achieve that goal.
3. Ensure Assignments
Are Matched to Each Contributor’s Strengths. Your team will perform best
when contributors are delivering pieces of the solution that align with their
individual strengths. Because contributors are often assigned to support proposals
by line-specific leadership, you may not always have seasoned proposal professionals supporting your team.
When you don’t have any previous experience working with the
individuals supporting the effort, it becomes critical to assess the strengths and
weaknesses of your team members. Use your initial strategy sessions and
storyboarding exercises to test the skillsets of your team. As you complete
various exercises, note:
1) who in the room drives the solutions with solid ideas and
thought-leadership
2) who drives development (takes notes, develops complete
storyboards, etc.)
3) who really doesn’t seem to be contributing much at all.
Keep this in mind as you adjust assignments for the initial
draft development. Pair thought-leaders with development-drivers to support
quality proposal content development.
4. Keep Meetings and
Strategy Sessions as Brief as Possible. According to an article published
by Time Magazine in May 2015, “The
average attention span for the notoriously ill-focused goldfish is nine
seconds, but according to a new study from Microsoft Corp., people now
generally lose concentration after eight seconds, highlighting the affects
[sic] of an increasingly digitalized lifestyle on the brain.” For this reason,
and because people are generally busy, you should strive to make meetings as
short and effective as possible. Come with a set agenda, as well as slides or
prompts to drive the discussion, and limit your meeting to the time allotted.
Daily stand-up meetings should be no more than 15 minutes. Try to limit
strategy sessions and other meetings to 30 or 45 minutes. You can always
schedule additional time later if necessary.
5. Provide
Constructive and Positive Feedback. All feedback should be descriptive,
timely, specific, and frequent. Constructive feedback is not criticism; it
alerts authors to areas where performance could improve. Positive feedback
highlights good performance; it lets contributors know what they are doing well
and keeps morale high. Recognition for effective performance can foster more of
the appreciated actions.
6. Keep Things
Interesting. Proposals are stressful and difficult tasks. Especially for
contributors with other day jobs,
proposals can mean long hours and time spent away from family or friends. Some
of the most successful Proposal Managers I know find ways to break the monotony
and keep things interesting. I’ve
seen this done with mini contests, boasting prizes like $5 Starbucks Gift
Cards, coffee mugs, company swag, and other small items; short team-building
exercises; and special treat days (e.g., donuts, cookies, etc.). These small
efforts help maintain positive morale and keep the team motivated.
Final Thoughts
Remember, a motivated proposal team starts from the top.
Positive proposal leadership can go a long way in delivering the win. You must
find ways to encourage your team and make them feel appreciated. If your team
stays happy, they are more likely to work hard and deliver for you!
Written by Ashley Kayes, CP APMP
Senior Proposal Consultant, AOC Key Solutions, Inc. (KSI)
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