Lisa Earle McLeod has advice for leaders struggling to motivate their teams in an increasingly cynical world where disengagement from the job is rife.
Welcome to the new normal.
We’re adding jobs daily, but most people are still miserable at work.
Workplace study data confirms what leaders are experiencing: Work is harder, more than half of all employees are disengaged and many people actively hate their jobs.
In the old days leaders could rally the troops by painting a picture of a glorious, prosperous future, garlanded with bonuses, perks and advancement.
Today, people want both money and meaning.
They’re also less trusting of senior leadership promises having seen evidence that a merger, reshuffle or just a change of Department head can make all past promises null and void.
Given the climate, how can well-intended leaders galvanise their teams?
It’s simple, but not easy.
You must go beyond the traditional transactional approach to work and address three core human needs.
Connection — Get emotional:
Discussing emotions at work can make people queasy, yet emotions are at the centre of every human endeavour.
What would happen if you walked in one day, looked one of your employees in the eye and told him or her: “I’m so grateful you’re on our team.
“It’s not just about the work; it’s also about how much you as a person add to this place. I love having you here.”
It sounds sentimental, but every time I suggest this in a presentation, people’s eyes fill with tears.
Human connection isn’t a nice thing to have; it’s a must-have.
Meaningful connections provide people with the internal fortitude they need to stay productive during tough times.
Meaning — Provide Context:
We all want to know our lives — and work — actually count for something.
A person who makes widgets may do a good job of quality control.
However, what if his boss held a team meeting every Monday morning and shared stories about people who bought the widgets having their lives changed for the better?
How those lives were more fun, more interesting, safer or easier as a result? That imagery would stick.
The person responsible for stamping out Part 357A would know his work counted for something more than a production number.
He has a purpose.
Leadership — Apply Daily:
It would be nice if we all went through our days feeling beloved by our families and co-workers, secure in the knowledge our work makes a real difference.
Sadly, angst and worry are the typical default setting for the human brain.
Left to the mercy of our own perceptions, our jobs can descend into an endless series of meaningless tasks.
That’s why we need leaders who can reset us in times of uncertainty and challenge.
In fact, one of the essential roles of a leader is to remind the team why their work matters.
When employees seem like they don’t care, it’s often because leadership hasn’t given them anything important to care about.
Productivity numbers are worthy goals, but the secret of true emotional engagement is to get beyond the numbers and make it personal.
People who are connected to each other and have a sense of purpose about their work will push through tough conditions to get things done.
If your team is facing a challenge, or it seems to be disengaged, ask yourself this:
Do the team members know why their work matters?
Most importantly, do I as a leader reinforce meaning and connection every single day?
*Lisa Earle McLeod is best known for creating the popular business concept Noble Purpose. She is the author of Selling with Noble Purpose and Leading with Noble Purpose. She can be contacted at mcleodandmore.com.
This article first appeared on Lisa’s blogsite
