Energizing a Team begins with selling the dream or initiative, and leaders need to employ some good old-fashioned salesmanship to accomplish it.
Link to aspiration - If you need to generate enthusiasm for a new initiative, focus on how much better the team will be when the transformation occurs or the new initiative drops. Also make sure that you address the “Why should I” & "Why Only Me" questions.
Address the negatives - People prefer the status quo because even if things are uncomfortable, they are known. You can't ignore the negatives, deal with them head on. Acknowledge them and defuse them with an effective argument. Also, never over-promise. Sometimes it's possible to turn negatives into positives, it's worth a try.
Sell from the top - When employees see their leader selling the dream, or pushing an initiative, it sends a message that no one is too big or too important to engage in salesmanship. Nobody is bigger than the team.
ref:
John Baldoni’s Blog - http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/baldoni/2009/09/how_salesmanship_can_energize.html
