Engagement Is A Process
Just something to ponder for those of us that call ourselves "leaders". Engagement is a process, not an event. There are hundreds of catch phrases and bumper sticker worthy quotes that speak to this point. One of my personal favorites, because of its truth, is "people don't care how much you know, til' they know how much you care".
For a person to form a lasting impression that you care, it will require intentional and authentic engagement. Trust me, people know when they are being used only for your benefit. You might say that employees are in place for my benefit. That's how sales are made, service is provided, salaries get paid, etc.. While there is some truth in that, that is not a path to true success. The dream is realized when there is a level of buy-in from your team. That buy-in is something that comes from months, if not years of engagement. Not from some initiative that is a flavor of the month, but something that lasts. True engagement comes when it is a habit or second nature. That my friend, is something that people want to get behind. That is a culture that people want to join and will not want to leave.
Because it is a process, it should be looked at as such. This is no sprint to the finish, and far more than a marathon, it is like climbing mountains for the rest of our lives. Isn't that exciting, ups and downs, over and over. So it's not easy, if it was, everyone would be doing it. I'm in no way shape or form a master of this myself. However, it is my commitment to be something that I become very good at. By it's nature of being a process, combined with the endless variety of personality types and backgrounds, it will likely not be mastered. Whether or not, you become proficient at employee engagement, it is always easy to see how you're doing at it. Simply turn around and count the people that are following you.
It is well worth your time to invest in the people that you were given the privilege to lead and I assure you that true, authentic employee engagement that lasts, will pay dividends in your business, but more importantly in the lives of those that we serve as leaders.
Think others first and you will earn the right to lead and be called a leader. Think of yourself first, and be prepared to fail. Nothing worth doing, is worth doing alone.