Everybody is a part of a team, large or small, and your efforts to motivate your colleagues should be team-based. Emphasize the connections among individual employees, among departments and between employees’ home and work lives. Here are three ways to accomplish this: 

• Build high opinions of one another’s skills and strengths. Encourage your staff members to praise their colleagues at meetings with such questions as, “Who helped you out this week?” Public praise from peers redirects focus away from the boss- worker relationship and extends accountability to the entire team, which in turn, reinforces team spirit.

• Recognize everyone’s contribution. Treat each individual as if his or her effort is the most important factor in team success. Pay attention to your colleagues' accomplishments and completed assignments, so you know how their activities affect the bottom line.

• Reward teamwork. During performance reviews, be sure to note contributions to team goals along with individual efforts. Employees will quickly realize the benefits of working toward team goals and will put less emphasis on standing out individually.