As summer draws to a close, many managers face the same challenge: the year is moving fast, company goals still need to be delivered, and your team is already stretched between daily responsibilities and long-term projects.
The good news is that now is the perfect moment to reset. Late August and early September offer a natural pause — a chance to regroup before the final quarter begins.
Psychologists refer to this phenomenon as the fresh start effect, which is the motivational boost we experience after reaching “temporal landmarks," such as the start of a new season or work cycle. These moments give us — and our teams — a clean slate to refocus and act with renewed energy.
Here's how you can harness that fresh start to motivate and mobilise your team this autumn.
Even high-performing teams can lose sight of what matters most if priorities aren't crystal clear. Many organisations I'm working with this year have significant change or transformation projects in motion, which are creating ripple effects across other projects and goals.
As a manager, your role is to cut through the noise and provide clarity.
Reconfirm what's most important. Make sure your team knows the top priorities for the next 2–3 months.
Clarify trade-offs. If new projects arise, explain what can shift or pause to create capacity.
Connect to the bigger picture. People stay motivated when they see how their work contributes to the company's success.
Share this with your team:
"Here's what matters most between now and year-end, and here's how it connects to our wider goals. If something new lands, let's be clear about what we'll pause so we can deliver on the priorities that matter most.”
Emails, meetings, and urgent requests can easily overwhelm your team's best intentions. I often see teams squeezing project work into lunch breaks or logging an extra hour in the evening. The result? Overworked employees who struggle to get it all done.
One of the most valuable things you can do as a manager is to help them carve out protected time for focused work.
Set team-wide no-meeting blocks. Even one shared weekly slot gives everyone space to make progress.
Encourage calendar holds. Ask your team to block recurring time for project work, just as they would for a client meeting.
Model it yourself. Show your team that you also defend time for priority work.
Share this with your team:
"Let's protect Wednesday afternoons as a focus block for project work. Block the time in your calendar now so we can make steady progress without distractions.”
Large goals can feel daunting — especially as we head into the Q4 rush. Breaking projects into smaller milestones helps generate visible progress and confidence.
Chunk big projects. Frame milestones as achievable steps, not just long-haul deliverables.
Recognise small wins. Acknowledge completed steps in team meetings and 1:1s.
Show impact early. Share updates on how even small contributions are moving the business forward. This helps your team see the connection between daily work and bigger changes.
Share this with your team:
“What's one small step we can complete this week that moves this project forward?”
At work, progress that isn't visible can feel like progress that doesn't exist. By creating a simple rhythm of communication, you can keep goals front and centre without adding heavy reporting burdens.
Use simple tools. A shared tracker, project board, or weekly update doc is enough.
Keep check-ins short. A 10-minute huddle or quick written update can maintain momentum.
Recognise contributions. Highlight both progress and effort — it builds morale and accountability.
Share this with your team:
"Every Friday, let's take five minutes to update the tracker and share what we achieved this week. It'll keep us aligned and highlight the progress we're making together.”
The final months of the year don't need to feel like a scramble. By realigning on priorities, protecting time, building momentum, and making progress visible, you can help your team feel both motivated and capable of achieving their goals.
If you'd like support in motivating and mobilising your team this autumn, I'd be happy to help. Get in touch to explore practical ways to re-energise your people, sharpen focus, and finish the year strong.
Best,
Niamh