Why Exactly is it Called Employee Engagement?

Employee engagement. Ahh … the mountain top. Something every leader strives for to achieve success. An engaged employee is a happy employee. An engaged employee is more productive. An engaged employee is __________ (you fill in the blank). Right?

How does the corporate world evaluate employee engagement? Well, by issuing an employee engagement survey, of course. Who better to ask about engagement than the employees themselves? And when structured properly, and with a supportive culture, these types of surveys can deliver incredibly insightful feedback to the leadership team.

See, here’s the thing. Every leader knows that improving employee engagement will improve company performance and cultural significance. Just makes reasonable sense, right? But the problem is, when the survey is over most action items and action plans addressing the survey feedback are assigned exclusively to members of management. We aren’t engaging the very employees who know what needs to be fixed and know what winning looks like. Does that seem backwards to anyone besides me?!?

Your team members are passionate about making your workplace, your company the best place to work. Their beliefs about what would create a culture of significance are embedded in the feedback provided through the surveys. So why not deeply involve them in the action plans and resulting initiatives in response to the surveys? Seems to make sense to me.

Leadership should not be the only ones responsible for making change in an organization. That is a mistake being made in too many companies today.

When someone is involved, when their ideas are heard and when they are allowed to communicate the plans and actions to their teams, that someone now owns the change. And they want it – badly!

You can’t have engaged employees without engaging your employees. What? Did he just say that? It’s simple, gang. People want to help. They want to be a part of something significant. I have seen the power of highly engaged employees and it gives me goose bumps. Why not get some goose bumps of your own?

Ask folks their opinion. Let them tell you what they would do if they were in charge. Allow them to take the lead on culturally significant issues. Ask them to “Tell me more.” And all the while, you will be sharing your power with them. Try it once and judge for yourself – I can’t wait to hear the results!

Engaged employees – folks who really care about the success of the business – will push hard to turn today’s chaos into tomorrow’s payoff. Just give them a chance. I know what you see will be Simply Amazing!

Don’t Be Beige: See the Impossible as Possible

Cindy and I have been doing a lot of bicycle riding this summer and have just loved it. We are getting great exercise, we enjoy being outdoors, the scenery has been outstanding and we have met some really great people along the way. The two of us have been cycling our entire lives. Heck, we first met at college in a bicycling class! I will pause here for you to finish laughing before I continue …

So for us, riding a bike is easy and natural and fun. And we talk about our bike rides for days afterwards. It truly is one of our favorite things to do. And for us, bike riding is very possible.

Just last weekend on a ride we met a man riding his old-school bicycle on the Ghost Town Trail - way cool trail, by the way. He was friendly and all smiles and was kind enough to greet us as he passed. We exchanged jokes and he went on his way. Sound unusual to you? Probably not.

But, it was …

You see, the man we met that day was in his 80’s and – get this – had an oxygen machine in the basket on the front of his bike. The dude was riding his bicycle while on oxygen. Holy Moses! Is that really possible? He thought so. And he was smiling and pleasant and just enjoying the heck out of the day. He made me smile.

But see, here’s the thing. This man could have decided that his bike riding days were over. Who would have questioned him if he said it was not possible to be involved in physical activity anymore? He could have just quit. But … he didn’t. He decided that what others saw as impossible was in fact truly possible for him. He believed he could do it and he was willing to fail trying. What a guy!!

Believing that the impossible is possible starts with one thing – a decision to try. And that decision gives you the right to be successful. Without the courage to try, without the determination to go where others think crazy, you will never know what you are truly capable of achieving.

In his recent book, “An Enemy Called Average”, John Mason writes:

“Persistent people begin their success where most others quit. One person with commitment, persistence and endurance will accomplish more than a thousand people with interest alone. The more diligently we work, the harder it is to quit. Persistence is a habit – so is quitting.”

Persistence is a habit – and so is quitting. Hmmm. Let that sink in for a moment! What side do you most frequent?

My friend on the bike at the Ghost Town Trail obviously has embraced persistence and determination as a habit. He believes that the uncommon is possible. And, he has made a choice to go on living instead of giving up, even though he needs an oxygen machine to live.

No one can ever make you believe something is impossible without your permission. Did you know that?

What one decision would you make today, what one goal would you choose to make possible today, if you knew you could not fail? What would you give yourself permission to boldly try that in the past you thought was impossible? Write it down and tell the world. Tell me, for that matter. I would love to hear your commitment.

Winston Churchill said, “I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.” I too am an optimist and since the day I made that shift I have seen that the impossible is indeed possible. And by the way, I once thought writing this newsletter was impossible…

Ya know, I think if my friend on the bike trail had a mantra in life, it might just be: Go ahead, dare to be amazing! What would amazing look and feel like for you right now?

Choice, not chance, determines your destiny. Choose to be amazing and show the world what you know is possible.

Rely On Discipline, Not Emotion

I recently completed reading Brian Tracy’s book “The Power of Discipline” again and it was more impactful than the first time through. Self-discipline is at the core of every successful business owner and leader. The courage and tenacity to be true to yourself and your cause will set you apart from the rest.

Look around you. Look at the person or persons that you model yourself after. They have incredible discipline – to be authentic, to be truthful, to be patient, to be methodical, to be open, to be a role model, and to stick to their guns when they know they are right. Isn’t that what you want, too?

See, here’s the thing. Leadership is often easy during the good times. It's when everything seems to be against you - when you're out of energy, and you don't want to lead - that you earn your place as a leader. Day after day, leaders face crucial moments when they must choose between gearing up or giving up. To make it through those times, rely on the rock of discipline, not the shifting sand of emotion.

Giving up is for the other person, not you. Take a deep breath, think for a moment, pull on your hip waders and stay in the game. As a leader, those who follow you are watching your every move, your every emotion. Let the power of discipline shine through in your every day behaviors. When you do, I know they will end up seeing something Simply Amazing in you!   

Outcomes Are More Than The Results

Why is it that just the mere thought of trying something different or reaching for that next rung on the ladder can so easily turn you off at times? If it is so worth having, then what keeps you from getting really excited about getting started towards your goal? Isn’t it worth it?

Don’t sweat it or give up – I think I just might know why it is harder than you want it to be to achieve those goals in your life.

See, here’s the thing. What is it that makes achieving our personal and professional objectives so motivating? Whadya think? Well, I believe the gold mine is the result that you achieve in the end. Problem is, too often goals are defined by the outcome and not the result.

Huh?!?!

Lemme explain. Let’s take losing weight for example. Just about every person I know who has set a goal to lose weight (including myself at times) has said: “My goal is to lose XX pounds!” Great – losing XX pounds could have incredibly positive results. But how fun is it to do the hard work that it takes to lose weight? If you are like me, not much. The reason we struggle to get motivated is because we defined the outcome – lose XX pounds.

But what if you defined the highly desirable and brag-worthy result instead?

Maybe the goal statement goes something like this: My goal is to lose XX pounds so that I can _____.

Hmmm … “so that I can” … what a powerful addition to the objective!

… so that I can play run down with my kids in the yard

… so that I can start playing tennis again with my wife

… so that I can stop taking my high blood pressure medication

… so that I can fit into my only suit for my brother’s upcoming wedding

… so that I can feel good about my looks again!

See how it changes the complexion of the goal? It is much more motivating to focus on the result (“so that I can …”) than just the outcome (lose weight).

So, restating the goal might look like: “My objective is within 10 weeks to be able to start playing tennis twice a week with my wife again.” Losing weight is an outcome, an enabler to getting back onto the court and looking like Roger Federer!

This works for any type of goal or objective. Just try it! By focusing on the highly desirable result – the “so that I can” part – intrinsic motivation will boil to the surface and fuel your desire to leap forward.

One of my goals right now is to be incredibly successful as a professional speaker and be paid for doing so – and a handsome sum, I might add. That will be the result of loads of hard work – writing my bio, developing several unique and riveting keynotes, finding the marketing approaches that work for me, speaking a lot for practice and exposure, updating my website, etc. These are individual, but important, outcomes. But, focusing on the rich and desirable result of being a successful professional speaker is what keeps me motivated.

It is the rare person who is motivated by hard work. For the rest of us, we will do best to be inspired by the result we will achieve. And it will be way more fun, too.

Dare to define your goals by the end result – the payoff, so to speak – and you will indeed be amazing!

I’m Not Bossy – I Just Have Better Ideas

When I became a leader for the first time back in 1993, it was the best of times and the worst of times. I was proud to have made it to the ranks of leadership – hey, look at me! Time to call me da boss. But it was the worst of times because it was a common occurrence to come home and declare, “I have no idea what I am doing!”

And, looking back on that inaugural experience, I now know I was right on both accounts. I indeed was the boss, but I hadn’t a clue how to do it.

I had this vision that as the boss, I had to have all of the answers. I had to be the smartest one in the group. Because, if someone else was smarter than me, shouldn’t they have been the boss instead? I was convinced that was the case.

Ya know, I never gave it one brain cell of consideration that I was being bossy. I just figured my ideas were the best ones on the table. And why should I listen to anyone who told me they weren’t?!?!

See, here’s the thing. I clearly didn’t get it that being the boss didn’t mean you had to be the brightest bulb in the package. Who was I kidding – I cheated to get out of college for crying out loud! Back then I thought being a leader was synonymous with holding all of the power; holding all of the cards for no one but myself.

Sheesh, was I ever wrong.

A marker of a valued leader is that they not only share their power and decision making authority, but they give it up to those around them. Through delegation, stretch opportunities and taking risks, the role of a leader is to enable people to achieve the goals of the organization. And most often that is successful when the leader is not the smartest of them all.

Leaders, you have to allow others to be in your shoes with you. Collectively the organization is way better off if everyone understands what is required to make the business successful AND what role they, as individuals, play in making that possible. You must let them in.

It ain’t easy allowing others to “do your job.” I get it – I’ve been there. Oh, I’ve been there. But the day I made the switch to realizing others can be, and probably are, smarter than me was the day I got my membership card as a leader. Humbling and inspiring at the same time.

You may have better ideas. OR, you might not. Share and give your power away to those who can put it to good use. I am convinced you will be amazed at what you see in the results.