It’s a challenge if you lead a team that’s been told their expense budget has been slashed and that their headcount is now frozen.
To achieve your business goals, you’ll therefore need every team member to work smarter, faster, harder and longer, won’t you?
Ah! That’ll mean they need be engaged, at a heart level, to achieve the “impossible”.
It’s Time To Rethink Engagement
It’s time to rethink how you’ll up your team’s engagement so that they go the extra mile.
What could you do to get more juice from each lemon?
First, let’s attempt to answer the opposite question.
They’re definitely not going to be productive when they’re anxious and grumbling.
That’s when they get very analytical and try to pull budgets apart. That’s when their energy goes into questioning decisions that have been “dumped” on them.
Their anxiety drives them to attempt to prove why it’s all not OK.
So here’s the better question:
What could you do to help them feel relaxed, satisfied and happy?
Here’s The Hypothesis
Stress will dive and satisfaction and happiness will climb when your team members feel respected and valued—when they’re engaged, when they’re working in the flow.
That’s when they’ll work for the common good. That’s when they’ll put in the hard yards.
So take the emphasis off accomplishing things.
Put it on letting each team member know what you respect and value about him or her.
- Let them know what a positive difference they make.
- Overtly appreciate whatever you can find to appreciate.
- Listen whenever you’ve got it in you to listen.
- Build trust by communicating candidly and often.
- Empathise whenever you find an opportunity to empathise.
- Care about what’s important to them whenever you notice something that they care about.
You’ll unlock a willingness to do-what-it-takes to reach goals.
That’s what happens when we appreciate, listen, empathise and care.
And, do you know what else will happen?
You’ll have much more enjoyable days. (They will too.)
Your Call To Action
Take the focus off driving for results.
Put the focus on connecting, motivating, communicating to have everyone feel respected and valued.
It’s often the difference between reaching goals, or not.
You might want to start slowly and warm up into it. (You don’t want to scare them—or have them think you’re trying a new drug :-).
Let me know if you’d find help useful. (carolyn@leadingperformance.com.au)
“I regard Carolyn as my secret weapon in the quest to get the
best out of my teams and develop people to their fullest potential.
I highly recommend her services”
—Quentin Goldfinch, Director, Research & Development, Avaya Australia
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Carolyn Stevens has worked with leaders for more than 25-years—hundreds of them.
She’s supported leader after leader to flourish and become confident, courageous and impressively influential (including those who previously struggled to confront the difficult, let alone persuasively deal with it).
Carolyn is authentic and results-oriented. She’ll draw on an eclectic array of approaches, tools and techniques to suit your situation.
She’s never too busy to talk to you—or to leaders you refer who’re in a hurry to boost their success. Email to arrange a time to chat: carolyn@leadingperformance.com.au
