Let's look at another of the ways an Engagement Culture actually increases each employee's engagement in her/his performance. (From the previous post, What Happens when....)
- A manager communicates continuously and for a variety of reasons (work and not work) with the employee.
The idea of a manager/supervisor making time available "just to talk" to staff may seem contrary to a less talk, more action policy. But if more talk produces more action towards improved engagement, enhanced performance, greater results achievement, who's to argue? Not I.
Do not equate manager-employee communication with micro-management. While some of the talk will invariably be about work, the conversations can (should) range far and wide and not all be about work, certainly not all about the employee's job or performance.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Ask, ask, then ask some more. One determinant of employee's degree of engagement in his work is the manager's level of interest. That may be interest in the worker, the worker, the worker's outside life, and more. One well-proven way to demonstrate interest in someone is to ask questions. As you and he know one another better, the nature of the questions will change.
- Be ready to answer. Successful communication is two-way. You make it clear that you are truly involved in a give-and-take conversation by inviting questions. You invite questions (and more questions) by demonstrating comfort as you answer them. A manager I reported to 20 years ago always asked, "What would you like to ask me?" near the end of the conversation. She had truly engaged people working for her.
- Formally schedule informal conversations. The formal part of scheduling is that you assign and announce a time, date, and place. Suggestion: try to find a time convenient for all and make it a regular event, i.e., lunch on first Thursday of each month. The informal part is that these meetings have neither required attendance, set agenda, nor defined guidelines. These are the opportunity to sit down and talk. Over time the confidence to speak up and the quality of content improves.
- Never be 'too busy.' Think of how often you pass someone in the hall, each of you says, "HihowareyouI'mfinethankyou." By the end of the run-on sentences, the backs of your heads are saying goodbye to one another. The extra 15-30 seconds individuals spend stopping, looking one another in the eye, and sharing a few words have human meaning. When either of those persons is a manager/supervisor, the meaning increases.
- Speak with your eyes. Every day early in my commuting days, I purchased coffee at the train station's Dunkin' Donuts. I picked it up from the counter and walked out, saying, "Thank you" over my shoulder. Then one day, Jean-Paul held onto my coffee as I reached for it. I asked why. He commented, "In my country, we say 'thank you' face to face. Not as we walk away with our back turned." Lesson learned.
I know you have communications practices like these in your organization. Very possible some that are better.
Please feel free to hit Comment below and share your successful ideas.
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