Wander Wisely- Positive Engagement & Management by Wandering Around. Written by Ian Mattair

Author John Maxwell says that leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others. So, while there are many different internal and external factors that might impact relationships at work, none are more important than a leader’s ability to engage and empower their subordinates.

Employee engagement from upper leadership is often acknowledged as a critical component to creating a positive work culture yet is largely overlooked as a necessary action for many of the world’s CEO’s. In fact, more than 58% of non-management respondents to a 2018 global business culture survey indicated that they didn’t feel that their leaders acted in accordance with organizational culture (Forbes Strategy, 2019). So, it’s important for senior leaders to acknowledge that employees are paying attention to their actions and adjust accordingly.

The idea of positive engagement through positive example setting is also consistent with Social Exchange Theory, which posits that cultivating a culture of reciprocity (a cornerstone of relationship building) in an organization will produce positive attitudes and behaviors from employees. In fact, altruism usually has stronger and longer lasting effect vs utilizing a simple reward system. So, engagement with employees also involves displaying positive behaviors that reflect company culture and progressing inter-team altruism.

?? Once subordinate leaders are engaged and empowered, senior leaders are left only to maintain the cycle. One of the best ways they can do this is to consistently visit the different areas of the business. While the act seems simple, the impact that it can have among the rank and file of an organization is extraordinary. In fact, consistent engagement by senior leaders is so effective that it’s even been classified as a management style.

Management by Wandering Around

???????????At the start of its corporate life, Hewlett Packard was widely recognized as an anti-corporate establishment, with laid-back and creative employees who drank beers together with one another on Fridays. The company was an early adherent to a leadership style conceived by David Packard and later championed by business guru Tom Peters called “management by wandering around”. This is where managers and leaders leave their offices and wander around to various operational areas to engage with employees. In his article Is 'management by Walking around' still possible when everything is digital and remote, McKendrick describes management by wandering around as a way of keeping [a manager’s] ear to the ground to understand what’s?really?going on.

???????????Senior leaders who practice management by wandering around will positively impact work relationships by engaging with all levels of employee and hearing their ideas, complaints, dreams, regrets, goals, or anything else an employee wants to talk about. These open lines of communication increase transparency within the team which also increase trust leading to positive workplace relationships.??

???????????While there are many different internal and external factors that might impact relationships at work, nothing is more important than the actions of leadership. These actions set the tone for the entire company culture. Leaders that acted by engaging their employees, empowering them to lead in the same way, and maintaining those relationships by wandering around, are sure to create a work culture that highly values relationships. ?