ENGAGE PEOPLE
WHY IT MATTERS
The role of a leader is to get people sincerely involved, and motivate them to give their very best. It is the leader’s responsibility to influence hearts and minds so people want to do more than just show up for work. They inspire people to give beyond their normal level of contribution and really embrace the organization’s vision and cause. Leaders that have the ability to engage people do more than just put people to work, they succeed in getting them to give their best to the work because they want to, not because they have to. Leaders that can’t fully engage people will feel like they are running a ship at half-mast. Their people will be physically present, but their care, desire, belief, and motivation will always feel like it is lacking.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that engage people get more out of their performance than others ever could. They don’t manipulate people to perform through force, allurement, or intimidation. They give people a vision, make the work relevant, show people they are needed, treat them like they matter, trust them, empower them, and set them free to do great things. They help people to not only give their best, but to be their best.
Leaders that engage people believe they should leave their office to be out with their people. They lead from the front. They know who their people are, and their people know them. They don’t stand back and watch the work happen. They dive in and the work alongside their people. They can talk the talk because they walk the walk.
Leaders that engage people share a compelling vision of possibilities. They paint a picture of what can be accomplished in a way that excites people and attracts them to opt-in and be part of something special. They help people see and feel the cause in which they are involved.
Leaders that engage people in the work show constant optimism and have an attitude of prevailing hope. They are the type of person other people want to be around because of their positivity. People want to follow them and help them accomplish hard things.
Leaders that engage people remove barriers to their performance. They ensure people have the resources and tools to do their jobs, the autonomy to make decisions, and the ability to act for themselves.
Leaders that engage people invest in their personal development. They genuinely care about people’s growth and learning. They listen to people’s wants, needs, feedback, and concerns. They put people on projects that build their skills and talents. They make people better, and people are loyal to them because of it.
Leaders that engage people show them constant gratitude for their labor and effort. They put in place reward and compensation systems that make people feel well compensated for their efforts. They notice when people do great things, and make it a point to say “thank you.”
Leaders that engage people create a work environment that invites fun. They want people to enjoy being at work. They create an appealing workspace for people do their work and a culture that invites them to let their guard down, be real, and enjoy what they do every day.
BELIEFS
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
The role of a leader is to get people sincerely involved, and motivate them to give their very best. It is the leader’s responsibility to influence hearts and minds so people want to do more than just show up for work. They inspire people to give beyond their normal level of contribution and really embrace the organization’s vision and cause. Leaders that have the ability to engage people do more than just put people to work, they succeed in getting them to give their best to the work because they want to, not because they have to. Leaders that can’t fully engage people will feel like they are running a ship at half-mast. Their people will be physically present, but their care, desire, belief, and motivation will always feel like it is lacking.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that engage people get more out of their performance than others ever could. They don’t manipulate people to perform through force, allurement, or intimidation. They give people a vision, make the work relevant, show people they are needed, treat them like they matter, trust them, empower them, and set them free to do great things. They help people to not only give their best, but to be their best.
Leaders that engage people believe they should leave their office to be out with their people. They lead from the front. They know who their people are, and their people know them. They don’t stand back and watch the work happen. They dive in and the work alongside their people. They can talk the talk because they walk the walk.
Leaders that engage people share a compelling vision of possibilities. They paint a picture of what can be accomplished in a way that excites people and attracts them to opt-in and be part of something special. They help people see and feel the cause in which they are involved.
Leaders that engage people in the work show constant optimism and have an attitude of prevailing hope. They are the type of person other people want to be around because of their positivity. People want to follow them and help them accomplish hard things.
Leaders that engage people remove barriers to their performance. They ensure people have the resources and tools to do their jobs, the autonomy to make decisions, and the ability to act for themselves.
Leaders that engage people invest in their personal development. They genuinely care about people’s growth and learning. They listen to people’s wants, needs, feedback, and concerns. They put people on projects that build their skills and talents. They make people better, and people are loyal to them because of it.
Leaders that engage people show them constant gratitude for their labor and effort. They put in place reward and compensation systems that make people feel well compensated for their efforts. They notice when people do great things, and make it a point to say “thank you.”
Leaders that engage people create a work environment that invites fun. They want people to enjoy being at work. They create an appealing workspace for people do their work and a culture that invites them to let their guard down, be real, and enjoy what they do every day.
BELIEFS
- If people feel like the organization cares about them they will be more likely to care about the organization.
- A sure-fire way to raise the engagement level of people within the organization is to raise your engagement level with them.
- When people feel like they are worthy of your time and attention they will rise to new levels of engagement.
- If people like being at work they are more likely to give their best to their work.
- Few things can cause disengagement faster than people feeling like they don’t have the tools or resources to do their job.
- A leading cause of employee dis-engagement is the lack of a personal relationship with a direct supervisor.
- Engagement starts with a vision. If people don’t believe in what they are doing they won’t give what it takes to make it happen.
- People will match the engagement level of their leaders. If the leader is excited and engaged, their people might be too.
- Put in place a strong rewards system.
- Put people in control of their work and results.
- Show contagious optimism for the work.
- Trust people to do hard things.
- Don’t manage from a distance.
- Align people to the goals of the organization.
- Let people take time to rejuvenate.
- Constantly share the vision and mission.
- Recognize how hard people are working.
- Talk constantly about the “why” of the work.
- Involve people and include them.
- Create a work environment that is fun.
- Listen to people and seek their opinion.
- Be out among the people, not stuck at your desk.
- Invest in helping people grow and progress.
- Give people the tools and resources they need.
- Compensate people fairly for their work.
- Show people the good they can do.
- Give frequent praise and gratitude.
- Give people authority to get things done.
- Give people the autonomy they need.
- Sincerely care about and take care of people.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I get people’s best performance through real motivation, or do I get it through intimidation?
- Do I work in the trenches with my people, or do I try to lead them from behind my office door?
- Do I get people excited about the work through a compelling vision, or do I fail to paint a compelling vision?
- Do I show a level of optimism for the work others can feel, or do I diminish their outlook through my lack of passion?
- Do I give people what they need to do their jobs, or do I hold back necessary resources?
- Do I invest in people’s growth and development, or do I just take from them without investing anything in return?
- Do I show constant gratitude for people’s work and effort, or do I forget to say thank you?
- Do I create a work environment that is enjoyable, or do I create an environment that squeezes the life out of people?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t fall for the trick of trying to improve engagement through gimmicks, instead of real workforce strategies.
- Don’t get frustrated if people are not equally engaged, and forget that engagement is ultimately a personal choice.
- Don’t expect everyone will be as engaged as you are. As the leader, you should be more engaged than anyone else.
- I have to balance individual success with business objectives.
- Personal recognition is a manager’s best tool.
- I’d rather be trusted than loved.
- I will always reward loyalty over results.
- I set clear expectations for myself.
- A clear job description is vital to any company’s success.