Employees and companies both want to create spaces for great work, for connectivity and belonging, for health and wellness, for innovation.
Keeping talent engaged has become something of a guessing game. But these 4 simple strategies are proving to be pretty fail-proof.
Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.
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Hey, it’s Rachel Cooke, your Modern Mentor. I’m the founder of Lead Above Noise—a firm specializing in retaining, engaging, and developing talent.
You know the past few years have done a number on the world of employees and the workplace. One day we’re resigning and reckoning, the next we’re climbing through a recession… no one really knows which way is up. And my work gives me visibility into both the employee and the leadership perspective. Funny thing is—we all want the same thing. Employees and companies both want to create spaces for great work, for connectivity and belonging, for health and wellness, for innovation.
We all just need to get on the same page. And today I’d love to share the four principles that have most influenced my work—my recommendations, my programs, and my coaching with clients. And whether you’re in a leadership role or just a citizen trying to do amazing work, I hope one or more resonate with you.
1. Just start with simplicity. Always.
Simplicity lies at the root of much of what I teach and preach. But that’s just because it works. I’m still watching too many organizations over-plan, over-engineer, and overspend on shiny splashy things when really all their teams want is some more efficiency, more connection.
Last year, one client came to me saying, “We don’t get it. We know our people are hungry for more coaching. We heard it in our engagement survey. So we launched this amazing new virtual coaching platform…” and then they went on to explain how an employee could just sign up and be matched with a virtual coach and chat online with that coach and on and on.
The problem was—very few people were using it.
So I asked them. Have you considered testing out peer coaching circles—giving your teams the basic tools they need to just connect and coach each other? Or what about some basic coaching skills workshops for their team leaders?
Um, turns out no.
When the money is available, it’s almost always easier to throw that money at a problem. But so often the most desirable solution is one that costs just a fraction of the expensive one, but is more human, more organic.
People weren’t looking to chat online with random strangers. They wanted to coach—and be coached by—their peers, colleagues, and leaders. They wanted more coaching in the moment, in the context of the work. No signing up required.
Are you seeing similar missteps being made in your workplace?
My counsel is always this. Choose where you want to see a change, and then do something so damn simple you almost chuckle. Start there. And see how it goes.
2. Teach a little. But mostly create accountability for action.
Gartner is one of many firms saying that leadership development will—and should—be a huge focus in 2023. And while I may have a horse in this race, I do indeed agree!
Leaders need to be invested in. It’s how they learn and develop new skills, but also serves to leave them feeling kind of “worth it”—it’s a means of driving engagement as much as it is capability.
But delivering development the right way is the only way to see a real payoff—a return on that investment. And “right” is really defined not by the quality of training or education, but by how much they’re required to actually practice, apply, you know—like, do the thing they’re learning to do.
Too many companies over-index on training—the delivery of content and information. They offer dozens—even hundreds—of different courses delivered in a really flat, static way.
My recommendation is to get super clear about the few critical skills and capabilities you really want your leaders to exhibit and then design a program that does only those things, but does them super well.
Deliver some content, but then really provide a space—like a group coaching cohort—in which they can practice, discuss and role-play, share best practices and fails, where they can ask their “dumb” questions and hold each other accountable to really, really, using these skills on the regular. When leaders feel successful it drives their engagement all the way up.
3. Follow through. Your talent wants to trust you.
I say this with love. But please. Stop wordsmithing big visions and values that live under laminate. Make small promises that meet the needs they’ve expressed and just deliver on those.
I’m talking to teams in healthcare and finance and retail and advertising—all of whom are feeling just a little let down. Like they keep telling their leaders what they need, but all they feel they’re getting in return is some lip service. Which really is a disservice.
And it’s not out of malice. Leaders really do mean to listen and act. But—back to principle 1—they keep promising big solutions when really they need to take small actions.
Leaders, If your team is expressing frustration about the difficulty of collaborating with another team, don’t promise a fix. Promise a first step. Like having a conversation with that team’s leader to understand what their experience might be. Then report back to your team—what did you learn? What small step will you take? Just do that. And repeat. Every small promise met earns you trust. And from a foundation of trust, you can build anything.
Employees, if you’re still waiting on that solution your leader promised, find a way—with professional grace—to lovingly remind them. “Hey boss, let me know if I can be helpful in finding ways to enhance our collaboration with X team. I’m here to help.”
4. Harness your team’s energy—they’re your best untapped resource
Well-meaning organizations keep trying to do things to or at their employees.
But my favorite way to engage your talent is to just involve them. Don’t try to figure out what they need and implement from an ivory tower. Hand over the reins and see what they can craft and deliver!
Empower your teams to design and implement their own solutions. Let them decide how they want to collaborate more effectively. Ask what they need from you (Permission? Access to a system?) and then invite them to do the rest.
It is so gratifying to make change on one’s own.
Keep these four principles at the front of your playbook. And please let me know how it goes.
Join me next week for another great episode. Until then, visit my website at leadabovenoise.com if your organization is looking to dial up its Employee Experience or deliver some leadership development that activates change. You can follow Modern Mentor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Find and follow me on LinkedIn. Thanks so much for listening and have a successful week.