Unplugged

As you start 2011, I’m sure you have a lot of goals for your organization. There are opportunities to seize and problems to fix; good things you want to make great and mediocre things you want to make good (or get rid of). But a big question for you is: do your associates have the same goals? Are they really plugged in—engaged—ready to give their all to make it happen? Or are they sitting on the sidelines watching, and waiting for you to tell them what to do?

Getting your employees to plug in to organizational aspirations is essential if you want to actually achieve your goals. Engaged employees perform at a much higher level. (There are mounds of supporting data, plus in your heart you know it’s true because you know how your own performance excels when you are plugged in.)

How to get your associates actively and positively engaged is a multi-faceted subject—too broad for a one page blog posting. But start with this:

Engagement is not drawing employees into your world; it only happens when you enter their world.
It is not them engaging with you; it is you engaging with them.

“People today demand personal relationships with their leaders
before they will give themselves fully to their jobs.”
Bill George
True North

Your employees will engage with you when you engage with them—not before. Why don’t you get started today?