The Little Things That Create Big Wins: 10 Small Actions to Elevate Your Team’s Performance
Have You Ever Been Bitten by an Elephant?
Try this at your next team meeting: Ask, “How many of you have been bitten by an elephant?” No hands go up. Then ask, “How many of you have been bitten by a mosquito?” Suddenly, everyone raises their hands.
Here’s the lesson: It’s rarely the big things that get us—it’s the little things, repeated over time, that shape outcomes. Whether it’s a major project, customer service, or leadership, success isn’t about tackling the elephant all at once. It’s about handling the small, consistent actions that create momentum.
This applies directly to leadership. If you want to improve your team’s performance, don’t look for sweeping changes or grand transformations. Instead, focus on the small habits and micro-actions that drive long-term success. Here are ten seemingly small but powerful shifts you can implement immediately to create a stronger, more productive, and more engaged team.
1. Lead with Presence, Not Just Direction
Your team notices whether you’re truly engaged or just going through the motions. Presence means making eye contact, actively listening, and being intentional in conversations. A leader who is fully present fosters trust and motivates their team without saying a word.
Try This: When a team member is speaking, pause what you’re doing, put your phone down, and give them your full attention. That small shift alone can change the entire dynamic of your workplace.
2. Acknowledge Progress, Not Just Results
Too often, leaders focus only on the outcome, but progress is what truly drives motivation. Recognizing the effort—no matter how small—keeps momentum alive and reinforces positive behaviors.
Try This: Start meetings by asking, “What’s one small win from this week?” Celebrate micro-progress to create a culture of forward movement.
3. Set Clear Expectations with Small Adjustments
Ambiguity breeds frustration. Teams perform best when expectations are clear, simple, and reinforced consistently.
Try This: Instead of a vague directive like, “Let’s improve communication,” give specifics: “Let’s commit to responding to internal emails within 24 hours.” Small changes lead to significant clarity.
4. Master the Art of Strategic Delegation
Overwhelmed leaders often take on too much instead of trusting their team. Delegation isn’t about offloading work; it’s about empowering others.
Try This: When assigning tasks, explain why the task matters. People are more engaged when they understand the bigger picture.
5. Encourage Micro-Reflections for Continuous Growth
Reflection isn’t about dwelling on the past; it’s about small, consistent course corrections.
Try This: End each week by asking your team one question: “What’s one thing we learned this week that we can apply moving forward?”
6. Leverage the Power of Psychological Safety
Your team needs to feel safe to speak up, take risks, and innovate without fear of punishment.
Try This: The next time someone makes a mistake, respond with, “What did we learn from this?” instead of assigning blame. This shifts the focus from fear to growth.
7. Make Recognition a Daily Habit
People don’t need grand awards—they need to feel valued.
Try This: Set a daily reminder to send one quick appreciation message to a team member. A simple “I really appreciated your effort on that project” can make a huge impact.
8. Simplify, Then Execute
Complexity is the enemy of execution. The best leaders know how to break things down into manageable steps.
Try This: When facing a large challenge, ask, “What’s the smallest next step we can take right now?” Then do it.
9. Engineer Your Environment for Success
Your surroundings shape your habits. If you want better performance, set up an environment that supports it.
Try This: Reduce distractions by creating team norms like “Deep Work Hours” where meetings and Slack messages are limited.
10. Invest in Flow States for Peak Performance
Distraction is the enemy of productivity. High-performing teams know how to enter states of deep focus—what I call the MindFlow Cycle.
Try This: Use time-blocking to schedule uninterrupted focus sessions. Encourage your team to identify their peak productivity hours and protect them.
Small Changes, Big Impact
Leadership isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about the small, repeatable actions that build trust, momentum, and results over time. These ten micro-shifts don’t require massive effort, but they create lasting change.
If you’re ready to level up your leadership, optimize your time, and lead your team into a high-performance state, let’s talk. I help overwhelmed leaders and entrepreneurs reclaim their time, master the MindFlow Cycle, and unlock their full potential.
👉 Book a free 15-minute strategy call with me today, and let’s build a plan for your success.
