Many organisations have too many of its people disengaged or resigned.
The Gallup 2018 survey showed that only 13% of people are engaged at work globally. Thirteen percent!! A staggering 87% of people who come to work do so dragging their feet. They are uninspired. Unmotivated.
It doesn’t need to be this way.
When a person is disengaged at work, they switch off. They avoid leadership activities because they don’t believe that what they do or say will make any difference. When people don’t feel they can impact in any meaningful way, they check out.
The mistake we make is in thinking it’s because this person is this way. This is mostly not the case. Most people don’t start out that way.
Most people come to a role or organisation with some enthusiasm. Yet over time they become resigned or defeated. Maybe you are one of these people? Or you lead a team of good people who are just ground down?
Why do you think this is?
In organisations around the world, I hear the following: People feel swallowed by the change tsunami – compounded by a factor of 10 due to Covid. They feel they don’t have the skills or support to deal with this effectively. There can be a lack of purpose or meaning as to why they are doing what they do. There might be a values mismatch. Disengagement gets accelerated by broken promises – companies or managers promising something (similar values, growth in the role, diversity) and not following through.
If this is you in your team or organisation, don’t lose heart. All is not lost! Research shows people who are currently switched off can be potently re-engaged with the right support. The exciting thing is, empowered leaders are made, not born.
So how do you do you activate engagement and leadership in your team??
Developing a leaders mindset is critical. Creating empowered leadership happens through developing the right mindsets, and alignment. Empowered leaders embrace change and challenge. They have mindsets that are both growth, and expansive. They can hold both the discomfort and the opportunity that disruption brings. Meaning is expressed through agency and leadership.
A real and meaningful commitment to this within the organisation is also fundamental. If you don’t have this, change might still be possible, but it is a lot harder. Simply exhorting your team to engage isn’t pulling the missing lever.
Empowered leadership can be trained and activated throughout an entire organisation. Calling forth an environment to foster this kind of leadership is the only way any organisation can powerfully and sustainably respond to the evolving business landscape.
Imagine a team who takes ownership for solving problems (big and small), and develops the right mindsets in themselves and others. Imagine an organisation of leaders who lives the vision, fuels the belief and ignites the same in others.
Imagine the impact you could all make.
At a time of deep uncertainty and monumental change, this is the only way to go. Liberate the potential of your people through activating their leadership. If you want to discuss how to do this with your people – let me know!
Till next week,
Cathy
