In reviewing the Employee Engagement survey, I determined the
following leadership behaviors are necessary to improve the work
environment:
Leaders need to be more effective at modeling the way for
their team members. Leaders have not built a foundation of
trust in their organization and the survey has made it evident
that ethics across the leadership team are in question.
Leaders need to encourage the heart and show appreciation
for the work that is being done amongst their team. When a
worker does not feel appreciated for the job they do, it stalls
motivation and the desire to improve in their role.
Leaders need to challenge the process and enable their team
members to act. Workers do not feel that they are being
challenged or that leadership makes good use of their skills.
To further develop the identified behaviors above, I believe the
leadership team needs to inspire a shared set of values. In doing so,
leaders need to be strong in their own convictions and values and
share those with their team members. When a leader shares their
OWN personal values with their team, I believe it “humanizes” them
more. It opens lines of communication so they can connect on a
more meaningful level. Managers also need to “walk the walk” and
“talk the talk”. They need to model the behaviors they preach to gain
the trust of their organization. (
Second, Leaders need to encourage the heart and show
appreciation for a job well done. I’ve learned myself that showing
appreciation is one of the easiest things that a leader can do to
motivate their team. Even the smallest gesture, stopping someone in
the hall and saying “hey, great job on that analysis you completed
yesterday”, can help a team member feel more empowered in their
role. At my current organization team members are encouraged to
give “kudos” via note cards or “e-grams”. Far too often we go about
our daily tasks and forget to thank others or inspire them with a
simple “Job well done”.
Lastly, leaders need to foster collaboration and enable their team
members to act. They need to move away from a “Command and
Control” style of leadership and reduce “precision questioning”.
Doing so will diminish feelings of judgement and open lines of
communication for new ideas and processes. Leaders also need to
be present and have a solid understanding of their organization and
understand current challenges.
Taking these small steps can improve organizational performance in
several ways. Team members want to know how their role is
important to their organization. When they know their work is
valuable, they will seek continuous improvement. They will ask
questions and will search for ways to better themselves in their role
for the shared values of the organization. Opening lines of
communication with team members to acknowledge their work and
coach them will make them feel more comfortable in sharing ideas.
Leaders will be provided more tools from their team to determine
what’s working and what’s not. The bottom line is communication,
trust, and appreciation can go a LONG way.
