What are the best ways to motivate a team of architects?

Motivation factor varies person and person and before having a strategy in place to motivate team, we need to understand the motivation factor for them. As we are talking in context of Architects, some of the motivation factors for techies can be - innovation opportunities, exposure to new technologies, expanding existing skillset, engagement in more complex architectural problems, moving up in terms of role/title to name a few. A customized plan needs to be developed for team motivation and a proper feedback loop should be in place to make required course corrections. While doing that, always keep an eye on business value delivered by team as all this is useful as long as team is meeting and exceeding the expectation of organization.

They could be architects, civil engineers, electrical engineers or aviation specialists .. etc. Motivating a team involves tapping into their creativity and fostering collaboration. Keep communication channels open, celebrate their achievements, and provide avenues for professional growth. Also a key factor is to encourage an environment where ideas are valued, and individuals feel acknowledged for their contributions. Consider team-building activities and continuous learning opportunities to keep the enthusiasm alive.

Hone down on the goal . A generic word such as : Successful project may mean many things to many team members in different tasks/ positions. The architect sees it as " a project which meets the client's perspective and program". The project manager sees it as " a project that follows budget and time ! " , being specific on what the main goal is and the mission of each project is what helps the team be more on board and ensures everyone understands their responsibilities.

In my experience fostering innovation and recognizing their achievements are good ways of motivating people. I would also recommend an inclusive and diverse environment.

Be extremely detailed in your expectations and your goals. Setting clear guidelines ensure that the end product is exactly what you needed, and were expecting.

It is a very popular opinion that working in the creative field only makes space for the higher management team to come up with ideas and creative outputs. Juniors and younger designers are rarely asked to collaborate or pitch in their ideas. I would encourage their potential idea generating , because they came out fresh from little or even no obstacles or rules. The most raw , creative , innovative idea might come from the younger team .

Everybody wants to create something, architects are not different. Being able to innovate, to be creative in our craft is something rewarding. A great way to motivate a team of architects is giving autonomy, providing clear expectations and, of course, letting the team create, innovate and exercise the craft.

Motivating architects? It's all about letting their creative juices flow. I've found that when you give them the freedom to experiment and explore, that's when the magic happens. It's like setting up a playground for their imagination. Equip them with the tools and resources they need, and then step back and let them do their work.

Open communication within an any team is fundamental for fostering creativity. Creating an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, sharing ideas, and engaging in constructive discussions without the fear of judgment or criticism.

Imagine the things and implement as per currently generated by new ideas view concept of looking assuming the things with surrounding etc

Bring in insights from all backgrounds to the table. Our architecture education might all be the same or similar in outcome . But our backgrounds are immensely diverse. Welcome in each member's view point from outside the field and see how they can contribute. We as architects are also very very disconnected from the real world . We are visionaries yet dont have the " end client " of these visions in mind . Try to collaborate with people from outside the profession . GET THEIR INPUT. they have problems and THEY HAVE SOME HINTS ON SOLUTIONS. Take it all in and contribute to their diversity with your experience and professional knowledge.

Encourage a broad spectrum of perspectives discussions. While our architectural education may yield similar outcomes, the richness of our backgrounds brings invaluable diversity. Embrace each member's viewpoint, especially those from outside the field, and explore how their unique insights can enhance our work. As architects, we often operate in a realm detached from the practical world, lacking a direct connection to the end client of our visions. It's crucial to engage with individuals beyond our profession. Seek input from those with diverse experiences; they bring both problems and potential solutions. Embrace this diversity, combining your professional expertise with their insights to create a more holistic and innovative approach.

It's not just about the where and when; it's about giving them the power to make decisions. This builds a sense of ownership and pride in their work. But it's crucial not to cross into micromanaging territory. Let them navigate, and you'll be amazed at the destinations they reach. Respecting their time off is just as important as valuing their time on.

I'm a huge fan of 10% development time. Don't just give team members development objectives, but prioritize enabling teams blocking off 4 hours every week to sharpen their skills and work on projects and career development that lets them grow while contributing to the team success. In lieu of weekly time, I've lead teams through quarterly hackathons with self-selected topics, or immersion days with our cloud partners where we can network, geek out, and really emerge with fresh skill sets.

That's really important. Everybody wants to grow and to thrive in its own career. Being able to create and innovate is great but only if you can also develop, create, innovate and grow yourself together with the company goals.

I comsider providing growth and development opportunities a huge motivating factor for professionals especially in the current dynamic world and in a very dynamic field like Architecture. Technology has greatly influenced architectural practice over the years and in order to stay relevant and abreast with current industry trends, the team needs to be exposed to training and development. This can be achieved through on the job and scheduled learning events which of provided for the team will be a huge motivating factor.

Recognizing and celebrating success can pose challenges, particularly when dealing with a large group. Yet, it's essential to introspect and identify the factors preventing us from rewarding achievements. Is it a fear of fostering unnecessary competition or negative sentiments we aim to avoid, or are we hesitant to go the extra mile? It's crucial to examine these barriers. Motivated individuals have the potential to achieve remarkable feats, and acknowledging their successes can contribute significantly to a positive and productive environment.

Engineers have a creative component to their mindset. And it's human nature to want to design interesting things. The challenge is that sometimes what is interesting to an architect or engineer isn't what the market wants or is willing pay for. You need to find a balance to feed the "creative" juices of a development team with the needs of the market. When I was managing technology-related development projects, I made it a point to share with the engineering team what was happening in the market and with the competition so they could better understand why we were asking for specific features ad functions. A winning formula is to combine the market needs with with the unique idea a design team can generate.