Companies facing up to some of the biggest challenges to their businesses in recent times in the Gulf region should look inside their organisations and find ways to motivate staff, experts say.

PA Consulting Group, which works with businesses and governments worldwide, says CEOs who take firm and consistent action to build and strengthen their team culture create big advantages.

Jason Harborow, head of PA for Mena based in the UAE, believes corporate bosses can learn from how top football managers like Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp get the best out of their teams.

“Against a backdrop of low oil prices and the threat from serious conflicts within and outside the Middle East, the biggest test now for any CEO is how to motivate and enthuse their staff,” said Harborow. “The problem for many will be exaggerated by the fact that they have waited until the arrival of the current economic climate to give any serious thought to this issue.

“But it’s never too late to start building or reinforcing the team culture within your business, and those who do this most effectively and consistently will reap the biggest benefits.

Harborow added: “Teams that bond together and work well together share and take on challenges just like they share, enjoy and celebrate success. Sometimes senior members within the hierarchy are perceived to be more important than those who are just starting off in the organisation. As a result, they feel neglected and even unwanted.

“But in the most successful businesses, young talent is given opportunities to work closely with the most experienced and successful members of the team. As a result they are obviously motivated, learn quickly and their level of performance improves.”

Harborow, a former professional sportsman, says business leaders can benefit from observing the way top managers and coaches in sports go about motivating their teams.

“While all have their own style of management and personalities, and we see that clearly with people like Guardiola and Klopp, they share an ability and determination to ensure proper co-ordination in the way their team performs,” he said.

“This means getting the best out of each and every member of the team, and also recognising that some individuals need to be motivated in different ways. In business as in sport, the best leaders make sure that every single member of the team feels part of it from the beginning.”

 “The junior staff in any organisation thrive when presented with opportunities to succeed and go beyond the normal boundaries of their pay grade and basic job description. Challenging them in the early stages of their careers is the key to creating the best performers and business leaders of the future,” Harborow said.

“Hold them back, block their opportunities, and you’re in danger of preventing them from achieving their full potential, or losing them to another team which places greater trust in young talent. The comparisons with top flight professional football today are obvious.” – TradeArabia News Service