Employee Engagement and Their Leaders

Samuel R. James, Ed.D.

In 2004 Forbes selected the 107-year-old family company J.M. Smucker as the best company to work for. Brothers and co-CEOs Tim and Richard said they succeed by complying with a code of conduct established by their father, Paul Smucker: Listen with your full attention, look for the good in others, have a sense of humor, and say thank you for a job well done.

Corny, right? All the way to the bank! Paul and his sons balanced a common sense golden rule with commitment to quality, ethical practices, growth strategy, and corporate independence. In time empirical research confirmed that management practices like those at J.M. Smucker were invaluable to employee happiness and productivity. Thus, employee engagement is all the rage.

Research suggested that engaged employees like challenging work with clear expectations; meaningful relationships at work (a best friend); opportunities to be creative; and distinct cultural messages that it is ok to be themselves. Given the demonstrated value of employee engagement, how do leaders promote such a valuable management practice? Five pragmatic steps, adapted to each group, can help guide the leader.

Have the Right People on the Team
Senior managers must conduct a rigorous appraisal of the critical skills that the team needs in order to thrive. Assigning the right people to essential positions is vital for their success. Without the right people, employee effectiveness is a mere exercise.

Positive Interpersonal Relationships
The leader’s attitude and style of engagement with the members of the team set the tone for employee engagement. Positive relationships create productive energy emanating from a focused team with cooperative members who clearly communicate and contribute to each person’s responsibilities.

Use of Power
Using power to keep people in line usually means the wrong people are on the team. Taking initiatives and risks are by-products of commitment. When power is shared by team members—commitment to each other and a common purpose, to taking appropriate risks, to contributing merit based ideas, and to growing their business unit—power can be transformed into passion.

Pay Attention to How the Group Works
Groups are dynamic and change from meeting-to-meeting. The leader is a social engineer responsible for creating a structure that promotes productivity and team cohesion. Paying attention to how a group performs its work, especially during periods of stress, confusion, or conflict, helps get them back on track. Do they need to discuss their goals or roles? Is their process confusing? Do they need to clear the air? Honesty and an atmosphere of candor are essential for their success.

Don’t Go It Alone: Use a Coach
Transitioning a group of people to a team of engaged employees is a complex process, especially the first time around. It’s downright hard. Helping the leader become a social engineer who engages and develops the team is a honed skill that is learned over time. A coach is a partner to the leader and the team to find the right balance of strategic direction and the management of conflict and interdependent engagement that helps them achieve results within a context of engagement.