What it means to be engaging and what it takes to heighten employee engagement boils down to Four crucial considerations.

1. A leader’s ability to be present enough to notice when engagement exists and when it may fall short.
2. A focus on how best to approach engagement whether it be through tools such as personal check-Ins with their team, The ART of storytelling, through feedback loops that are; specific, authentic and supportive, and through strategic conversations about what is and is not working.
3. Addressing early and often what might need to be resolved that is getting in the way. Rather than figuring it out all on your own, instead, include your team in finding answers to what at times, might be tough questions.
4. Helping your teams release the tension from the loss of engagement with the promise that it can be restored.

After all, no leader is perfect. In fact, a leader’s lack of perfection makes them more human in the eyes of their teams. And having a leader who can admit to their own shortcomings can build a much stronger and sustainable connection to the people who do the work in an organization.

Hi, I’m Byron Darden and I want to welcome you to this edition of Leading with Purpose on Purpose. In this installment, we are focusing on the E in our series of The Executive VOICE, Engagement. I thought it appropriate to use the setting of Harvard Business School here in Boston where I began my journey 20 years ago in Leadership Development and where I started learning and coaching on the importance of engagement.

The days of dangling a paycheck in front of a team member followed by, here, move forward with this next project. Hoping that the idea of getting paid to do a job is inspiration enough, no longer serves as a leading factor for employees to get work done and done well.

Research has uncovered concerning statistics that point to the need for more focused and consciences effort around engaging those in the workplace. By doing so, leaders find that they can:

• More effectively keep employee turnover down to a minimum
• Develop the talent you already have, you also keep employees interested and enthusiastic about their roles
• Work to promote from within rather than from outside, you provide employees reasons to stay and grow in your organizations.

I trust you will enjoy this edition of The Executive VOICE as we round out our series with Engagement.

Enjoy!

Leadership engagement is critical for the success of any organization, from the CEO to the entry level of management. A leader is involved in various aspects of the organization’s operations, including its strategy, culture, and people. Leadership behavior facilitates, strengthens, connects, and inspires employees to increase engagement. Engagement can be achieved through various behaviors and measured with a reliable and valid self-report scale.

Here are some traits that will contribute to your effectiveness as an engaged leader:

• Active Listening – Give your full attention, maintain eye contact, and genuinely seek to understand your team members’ perspectives, ideas, and concerns. Encourage open and honest communication, refraining from judgment.
• Clarify your Vision – Before engaging with your team, define your role, team, and expectations. Articulate expectations, goals, and objectives, ensuring everyone understands their role and how it aligns with the organization’s goals. Provide timely feedback, recognition, and constructive criticism. Keep your team apprised of important information and encourage open dialogue.
• Resilience and Adaptability – Remain positive and calm in the face of challenges and change, providing stability and support to your team.
• Continuous Learning and Growth – Commit to your own learning and growth as well as your team members. Provide opportunities for development and support professional growth, that will inspire and engage your team to continuously improve and strive for excellence.
• Accountability – Set clear expectations and follow through on commitments creating a culture of ownership and responsibility.
• Empathy and Understanding – Put yourself in your team members’ shoes, considering their emotions, challenges, and experiences. Show compassion and support and be willing to offer help when needed.
• Collaboration and Inclusion – Create opportunities for teamwork and brainstorming, encouraging all employees to contribute their unique skills and knowledge.

These traits create trust, honesty, ownership, and engagement, where individuals can thrive and reach their full potential.

Leadership engagement creates a ripple effect on your team that radiates throughout your organization.

Without engagement, leadership fails at accomplishing one of its principal responsibilities of motivating its followers to perform well. Leadership engagement can be transformative to an organization. There are several ways where your engagement makes a significant difference:

• Employee Engagement and Well-Being – There is a direct correlation between leadership engagement and your employees’ engagement levels. Leadership engagement creates a ripple effect on your team that radiates throughout your organization. Demonstrating enthusiasm, passion, and dedication to your work creates a positive environment that motivates your team to do the same, creating satisfied employees who feel supported and valued.
• Cultural Impact – Engaged leaders ensure that everyone in the organization is aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives. They communicate the vision and mission and create unity within the team. This creates a culture of innovation, learning, and continuous improvement, resulting in an empowering workplace where everyone feels they have a role in the team’s success.
• Performance and Productivity –Through leading by example, engaged leaders tend to create a positive work environment, which leads to increased motivation and higher levels of job satisfaction. By providing clear direction, setting challenging goals, and providing the necessary resources and support for success, engaged leaders inspire their teams to perform at their best and produce results.
• Leadership Development – Engaged leaders recognize the strengths of their employees. You can set up your employees for future success by engaging in mentoring, coaching, and providing growth opportunities. You can ensure a pipeline of skilled and engaged leaders who can drive the organization forward.
• Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty – Engaged leaders and employees go the extra mile to understand customer needs, provide personalized solutions, and build stronger relationships. The result is increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
  

There are several ways to foster engagement in yourself and as a part of your organization. Here are the Four Rules of Engagement and how they might affect your behavior.

Four Rules of Engagement:

1. Lead by Example – Act with integrity, accountability, and professionalism. Engage in the work, and your team will follow. Be personally inclusive when addressing issues of human behavior.
2. Communicate Clearly and Consistently – Provide regular updates and information relevant to their tasks and responsibilities. Be approachable and open to feedback and questions. Refrain from absolutes because they are rarely accurate.
3. Empower and Develop Others – Acknowledge and endorse others for their point of view, opinions, and understanding. Provide opportunities for learning and skill-building, offer constructive feedback and guidance, and delegate tasks and responsibilities that allow individuals to take ownership and showcase their abilities.
4. Build Relationships and Foster Collaboration – Show genuine interest in well-being and personal growth. Leave room for possibility when framing an alternative perspective. Create an environment where individuals feel supported, valued, and motivated to contribute their best.

Let me illustrate how I experienced engagement first-hand while attending an event:

I once attended a fireside chat for women of color focused on Empowering Authentic Corporate Women. Four panelists spoke on various themes, including breaking the glass ceiling, my mantra for women in leadership, embracing one’s authentic self, and overcoming imposter syndrome and self-doubt. As these women shared their personal experiences in a world where navigating the complexities of corporate culture is crucial – yet another beacon of light I shine in my work as an executive coach – the host invited questions from the audience.

I raised my hand, and the host brought the mic to me so that all attendees could hear my question. I began by introducing myself and sharing that I support corporate women in navigating company politics so that they can break the glass ceiling and gain a seat at the decision-making table. Immediately all eyes turned to me as I asked how these women overcome the indoctrination of us all that teaches us what to say, what to think, what to believe, and how to respond, which begins as we leave the womb and continues throughout our lives.

There was a flurry of activity as each panelist grabbed the mic and shared their thoughts. I was so inspired by what these women spoke of that I developed a framework and pathway to help executive leaders deal with indoctrination and overcome its crippling effect on women wanting to move up the leadership ladder.

As the discussion ended, several women surrounded me, asking for my contact information.

Here is an example of what engagement can foster.

• Connecting with the audience and the panelist by tapping into the team spirit of the event – I’m there to support you on these very topics.
• Strengthening the bond between what I do and what they want more of – coaching this audience on these issues.
• Empowering the panelist to share their opinion and the audience by sharing myself – thus offering insight on how to free themselves of the chains of indoctrination and take up the responsibility to seek change.

“Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.”  – Anne M. Mulcahy

Anne M. Mulcahy is the former chairperson and CEO of Xerox Corporation. She has also been a member of the board of directors of Catalyst, Citigroup Inc., Fuji Xerox Co. Ltd., and Target Corporation.

Ms. Mulcahy beautifully summarizes the sentiment we’ve been striving to communicate here. The more engaged a leader is, the more engaged their employees will be. Once a person is committed to the culture and vision of the organization and feels like their contributions are meaningful and gain fulfillment in their work, this directly correlates to the bottom line of the company as a whole.

Now it’s your turn. Start by asking yourself a few basic questions:

• Am I engaged with my work and employees?
• How do I demonstrate this using the Four Rules of Engagement?
• How can I bring my BEST forward?
• Are my employees engaged?
• How can I nurture engagement in my team?

When you note there is room for improvement, I encourage you to reach out. I’ve helped many leaders enhance engagement and create a more engaged workforce—book time on my calendar to discuss how to improve your Executive VOICE.