Whether it is a family or a business or an organization of any kind you have the desire to fit in and be accepted and feel like you have an influence. I’ve referenced this book in the past, but it is helpful for this blog and that is the book The Search to Belong, by Joseph Myers. It talked about the levels of engagement in a church setting going from exploring the church to engaging in small groups. The idea for you to understand is that in your family, organization or business the desire and goal is that you would have fully engaged people and be an amazing, supportive organism!
ORGANISM?
That is right I said organism. Listen to this definition from thefreedictionary.com website. “Any complex, organized body or system analogous to a living being, esp. one composed of mutually interdependent parts functioning together.” I really like that because this is what we all desire in our lives in all areas whether at home or at work. So how do you think we can become that fully functioning unit? I would venture to say that it takes time just like moving people from exploring a church or organization to being fully engaged and a integral part of that organization.
Let me begin and unpack this by saying that a fully functioning organism takes work but can be done through trust and healthy relationships. What I am going to do is look at how this is developed through an organization and what that means to you as the leader. This can be applied to a family situation as well or any organization because the ideas are universal but need to be adjusted for the situation. The big idea here is that everyone has a story, and you need to understand that story. Let me give you 3 ways that this can be lived out.
Availability –
If your staff person or employee has a story, do you know what that is? Now it is not expected that you know the person so well that you do everything together including going on vacations. This is usually not the best idea today and is even more important in the world today. But it is important that you at least engage them on a consistent basis. To be clear your engagement does not mean just giving them orders but ultimately it is about knowing things about them that would give them a sense that you are human and do care about them and their life.
Each person is different in how much they will divulge but it is good to know a bit about the individual and their family. Likes, dislikes and what gets them excited in reference to why they come to work every day. What are their goals and dreams and their family situation? I believe that if a person’s work aligns with their personal goals, they will be more engaged and if you as the leader know this you can help them with the accomplishment of those goals and dreams. It is important to mention here also that their goals and dreams may be bigger than your organization. Don’t be discouraged because by helping others along you never know what will come back as a boomerang!Integrity –
This is one of those core values that everyone would espouse but often is an unspoken value. For your people this is probably the highest value that they would expect you to live out. As an organization this is imperative to be true to this because it can make or break you and your business as well as break the trust of the people you work with and who work for you. How this plays out if first in fulfilling the things you say. If you say you will do something, do it! Put it on your calendar or make yourself a note but make sure you follow through and do what you say you will do. Second, make sure that your people know you care for them. I just heard that taking the time to do one on one meetings is important to show that you are listening and allowing your people to be open to tell you what is holding them up as well as give great insights to help your business. Just making time to hear them goes a long way to value them and as a side benefit it usually helps with their productivity as well.
Fairness –
This can be a challenge when your business is small but doesn’t matter where you are in your business. An area that is an easy place to start is in your documents. First is the policy and procedure manuals but more importantly in their job description. Having clarity in their roles is a great place to start. As the organization grows and they grow in their capacity this should change as well. Having trust and support your people will feel their autonomy which can lead to increased capacity and growth for them as individuals. Again, this will make a more engaged, productive, and better employee!
Unfortunately, while you are in the battle, being available, integrity and fairness are not always at the top of mind. As the leader I encourage you to think about these ideas and be purposeful about living them out. You may not think it important but if you slip in any of these areas your people will know it. Most will not call you out on it but what it does is deteriorate your trust and more than likely will cause them to be open to another opportunity.
If you have failed in any of these areas, I would love to talk with you and help you. Leadership development and executive coaching is a great way for you to learn and grow. I believe you have a lot to offer and will make an impact.
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