Empower Your Team: How I Fixed My Mistakes and Created a More Engaged Workforce

Did you know that 85% of employees are disengaged in their workplace? One of the most significant challenges for entrepreneurs is managing people, which is why 27.1 million out of 33.2 million businesses have only one employee. Even if you have more employees than that, do you believe they are genuinely engaged with your vision? Or do they merely work for you because they have a job and don't really care about the direction your business is taking?

In the past two years, I've made numerous mistakes that led to team disengagement and learned some hard lessons. I've been dedicated to learning more about people, leadership, processes, and systems to avoid repeating those mistakes. I've been particularly inspired by Charlie Munger's concept of inversion thinking. Instead of pondering how to keep team members engaged, I began considering what I do that might lead to their disengagement. In this article, I want to share 11 actions that can cause team member disengagement, along with my personal experiences, to help you avoid the mistakes I made in the past. By doing so, our team can stay aligned with the organization's mission and vision, ultimately helping them achieve their personal goals as well.

Here are mistakes I made and I realized after learning the hard way :

1. Vague job responsibilities

My Mistake: I didn't provide clear job descriptions when hiring, leading to confusion and a lack of direction for team members.

I realized : Clearly outline job responsibilities during the hiring process to set expectations and provide guidance for employees.

2. Confusing or nonexistent expectations

My Mistake: I let unclear expectations create emotional turmoil within the organization, draining energy and decreasing productivity.

I realized: Set clear and attainable expectations, and communicate them regularly to avoid confusion and misalignment.

3. Ignoring individual goals

My Mistake: I failed to connect the company's vision and mission with team members' personal goals, resulting in disengagement.

I realized : Take the time to understand and support team members' personal goals and show how they align with the organization's objectives.

4. Providing unclear direction

My Mistake: I gave instructions without explaining the reasons behind them, which turned team members into robots.

I realized: Clearly communicate the direction and purpose of tasks to help team members understand their importance and feel more engaged.

5. Making their jobs harder, not easier

My Mistake: I assigned tasks without considering individual strengths and weaknesses, causing frustration and decreased confidence.

I realized: Recognize each team member's strengths and weaknesses, and delegate tasks accordingly to set them up for success.

6. Insisting on your way only

My Mistake: I didn't encourage team members to find their own solutions, which stifled creativity and growth.

I realized: Empower team members to come up with their own solutions and create an environment that values collaboration and innovation.

7. Neglecting processes and systems for success

My Mistake: I overlooked the importance of establishing processes and systems before hiring people, leading to confusion and chaos within the organization.

I realized: Implement effective processes and systems to support team members' success and make their jobs easier.

8. Telling, not showing

My Mistake: I instructed team members to perform tasks without providing guidance or support, causing frustration and a lack of progress.

I realized: Offer hands-on support, coaching, and feedback to help team members learn and grow.

9. Making them hold you accountable

My Mistake: I expected team members to hold me accountable instead of focusing on their own growth and impact within the organization.

I realized: Hold yourself accountable and model the behaviors you expect from your team.

10. Focusing on their problems, not improvement

My Mistake: I concentrated on team members' problems and criticized them instead of helping them improve, which led to decreased productivity and morale.

I realized : Focus on supporting team members' growth and improvement, offering constructive feedback and encouragement.

11. Treating them like robots, not humans

My Mistake: I micromanaged team members, leading them to rely solely on my instructions and not take any initiative.

I realized: Foster an environment where team members feel trusted and empowered to make decisions and take ownership of their work.

Learning from my mistakes and experiences, I have come across three books that have helped me improve the way I lead my team, increasing our productivity and achievements. I highly recommend "Teamwork" by Natalie Dawson, "Who Not How" by Dan Sullivan, and "Believe in People" by Brian Hooks. These resources can provide valuable insights and guidance to help you create a more engaged and motivated team.

If you found this article helpful and believe it might be beneficial for your entrepreneurial friends or people around you, please don't hesitate to share it with them. Let's help each other create better, more engaged teams and continue to grow as leaders in our respective fields.