Principle 1 – Create a responsible culture, start with looking at how you contribute to your people not being engaged.
In our experience, people are already naturally engaged, they want to participate and contribute to the success of the organisation and its vision. So it’s not about ‘getting people engaged’ it’s about removing the barriers to engagement.
If you are not happy with the level of engagement, ask yourself ‘How am I contributing to this person (or team) not being engaged”. Look at your relationship with that person or team. See our blog “How do you engage your employees” August 5 2011.
Principle 2 – Have a clear vision, values and personal integrity with the vision and values – walk the talk.
If you do not walk the talk, you have no chance of engaging your people. Walking the talk creates respect and credibility. This includes integrity with the organisation’s vision and values. What chance do you have of your people walking the talk if they observe
you not doing the same?
People want to be part of a team that makes a difference and provides value. Revenue, profit, being the biggest or best, meeting targets are measures of making that difference, they are not a vision. Without a clear vision, what exactly are people engaged
in?
An engaged employee relates to themselves as the team and its vision, not separate from the team and shares the team’s vision as their own vision.
Principle 3 – Establish what’s important to each person in their role and provide them with opportunities to contribute what’s important to them.
Create opportunities to talk to about what’s important. You can include this in regular performance reviews, or in your management meetings or as part of your
leadership development activities. For example, if contributing their creativity to the team is important, encourage and acknowledge their creativity, listen to their ideas and incorporate their ideas when you see value
in them.
Principle 4 – Relate to your people as having the capacity to get their job done and hold them accountable for working in a way that reflects your view of them.
Your people want you to be their champion, to relate to them as bigger than they relate to themselves. This creates the environment for people to grow and to be more effective. Acknowledge when they get the job done well and provide feedback when they don’t,
in other words hold them accountable for what you see is possible for them.
Just like you, your people want to be known, valued and respected.