Do You Know What Your Team Needs? Here Are 5 Ways to Find Out. Here are five ways to find out what your team really needs and what makes them tick.

By Chris Kille Edited by Chelsea Brown

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Do you really know what your team needs? You may sometimes struggle to determine what motivates your team and how this affects their performance. The good news is that simple techniques give you a pretty good idea of what makes your employees tick. Here are five simple ways to find out what your team needs.

1. Look for the telltale signs

If you are unsure what your team needs, look for the telltale signs. Are they working long hours? Are they stressed? Are they not participating in office talks? Are they complaining about something in particular? If so, it might be time to take a closer look at what's going on with your team.

It's important to remember that every team is different, and many factors contribute to each person's happiness on the job — which means you need to figure out what makes each tick.

Related: To Build a Strong Team, You Need to Address All of Your Employees' Needs

2. Take a pulse check

One of the best ways to know if you have a healthy team is to take a pulse check. Set aside time for a team meeting, and ask each member to share what's going well and what isn't. It's important not to criticize but rather listen and ask questions that help your team members share their perspectives without feeling like they are being judged or criticized.

And then, take a look at what's happening in your organization right now, and ask yourself: What do we need right now? Then, think about how that need was met in the past; if it wasn't met, why not? If it was, how did it happen?

Once you've done this introspection, you'll have a clearer picture of your team's needs and why they need it. This will help guide your next steps — whether hiring new people or making changes within existing roles — and help keep everyone on track with their goals!

3. Look at your metrics

You can't figure out what your team needs if you don't know how they perform. That's why looking at metrics is so important. You can track things like employee churn and productivity, which will help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your team.

If you want to try this out, here are some quick tips:

  • Figure out which metrics are important to your business and how to measure them

  • Set up a system for tracking the data regularly

  • Make sure everyone knows about it

Related: Your Employees Want to Be Heard — Listen to the Details That Matter

4. Listen to cues

Your team might not be the most vocal bunch, but if you pay attention to their behavior, you can learn much about what they need from you. If you're constantly getting interrupted or having trouble getting your team to complete their tasks, it could be that they're feeling overwhelmed. If they're always late to meetings or don't seem like they've got their heads in the game, it could be that they need more direction.

Whatever the case, listen to cues and try to address them with empathy and compassion.

5. Create a culture of feedback

It's important to provide your team with clear, constructive feedback that helps them grow and improve. However, it's equally important to allow them to give you feedback on how they feel about their work and what they need to be more successful.

One way you can do this is by creating a culture where it's okay for people to share their thoughts — and not just when things go wrong. You might start by encouraging everyone to give feedback on each other's ideas and projects or even just ask for direct feedback every day at the end of meetings or strategic points throughout the project cycle.

You can also create an open forum where people can anonymously share their concerns or ideas. The key here is creating an environment where people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings, so they know they'll be heard and respected no matter what they say!

Related: How to Motivate Your Team Members by Putting Their Needs First

Well, well, well, if you've made it to the end of this article, then you must be serious about being a great leader. And let me tell you, great leaders don't just assume they know what their team needs — they take the time to find out.

By implementing the five strategies outlined in this article — listening, observing, asking, testing and reflecting — you'll be well on your way to understanding the unique needs and desires of each member of your team. And when you can meet those needs, you'll be able to create a workplace culture that fosters growth, productivity and overall happiness.

So, to all the bosses out there, stop thinking you know it all, and start taking action to truly understand your team. By doing so, you'll earn their respect, trust, and loyalty — and that's the ultimate power move.

And never forget: The best teams have strong dialogue, rapport and trust. Because when team members know their goals and challenges, they can adjust their behaviors accordingly to meet their expectations.

Chris Kille

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

Founder at EO Staff

Chris Kille in Boston, MA, innovates in business efficiency, focusing on Virtual Assistant services and Payment Processing tech. He identifies growth opportunities and streamlines operations to enhance profitability. Chris values networking for success and fosters partnerships for speedy growth.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Growing a Business

'Boring' Businesses Are Making Millionaires — and You Can Borrow Their Strategies For Success

The silent growth strategy reveals how understated, steady businesses are quietly creating wealth for entrepreneurs in 2025. By focusing on long-term consistency and incremental progress, these "boring" industries are proving to be gold mines for those willing to embrace stability over hype.

Business News

YouTuber MrBeast Makes More Money From His Side Hustle Than From His YouTube Videos

The 26-year-old creator has racked up hundreds of millions of views and subscribers on YouTube, but it isn't his main moneymaker.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Side Hustle

This Husband and Wife's 'Happy Accident' Side Hustle Hit $467,000 Revenue Fast — Now It Makes Over $1 Million a Year: 'We're Scrappy'

Charlene and Vince Li couldn't find the snack they wanted to see on the shelves, so they created it themselves.

Business News

JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon Says Only One Group Is Complaining About Returning to the Office

In a new interview, Dimon said remote work "doesn't work" and noted some JPMorgan employees were checking their phones while he was speaking in a meeting.

Leadership

Having This Kind of Mindset as a Leader Is the Key to Inspiring Teams, Creating Meaningful Impact and Achieving Lasting Success

True leadership is about more than just short-term profits — it's about leading with purpose, clarity and self-awareness. Superstar CEOs like Satya Nadella and John Mackey are demonstrating that conscious leadership is critical to success in today's marketplace.