Executives focus—with good reasons—on the lack of employee engagement that is pervasive in organizations. In the United States, engagement remained flat at 64% last year. But the real question your management team should be asking is, “Am I a truly engaged?”
By definition, engaged managers:
- Get the most out of their people
- Foster good relationships
- Meet their goals with fewer problems
If 70% of employee attitudes are impacted by their managers, then it’s clear that manager engagement is critical. Unfortunately, I encounter many leaders who fail to recognize this.
You see, your management team wants—and needs—purpose, enjoyable relationships, the ability to succeed and recognition for their achievements. The degree may be different for managers and their employees, but similar nonetheless. We all want to be a part of something great.
Manager Engagement
Your managers desire opportunity for growth, both personally and corporately. Provide a path to achieve it: lay out plans to groom managers for advancement. This includes challenging projects that call for higher levels of responsibility, technical skills and people skills. Experience overcoming challenges empowers and qualifies managers for more. Cross-training is another way to enhance the skills of managers, and many experience a greater appreciation for their company.
By being informed and included in leadership matters, manager engagement is raised. Let them in on corporate plans and visions, and invite participation in activities that are normally above their level. This helps managers feel valued and appreciated. They can bring additional perspectives to leadership discussions, with insight from the working end of the operation. Opportunities to create and deliver presentations to higher-level leadership and other departments also increases motivation and gives managers a sense that they have much at stake in their careers.
Make manager engagement a priority by including it in performance evaluations. Most effective are 360 evaluations that incorporate anonymous feedback from all levels including supervisors, colleagues, employees and customers. See how people really view the manager’s engagement.
Leaders who engage their management teams find sustainable success and satisfaction in ways that outshine all other strategies. The employees with the best managers have the best experiences, and the best futures.
What do you think? How engaged is your management team? I’d love to hear from you. You can call me at 561-582-6060, let’s talk. And as always, I can be reached here or on LinkedIn.
