I have come to the conclusion that there is no such thing as only business. Engagement results from treating people the same way you want to be treated. Simply apply the Golden Rule and Christ’s number one rule for behavior with your fellow man. Or woman, I know…. Yet, too often people, and especially managers, behave differently at work than their off work behavior and justify it with that phrase. As an engagement coach, I have learned the hard way that you cannot separate y

How do you know? When a company has a clear vision of where it’s going and consistent leadership that inspires people to want to follow the vision and stay on board, they do. Conversely, why would I stay at an organization in trouble where I don’t see how what I do is really important and where I am never sure which direction or attitude my boss or leader will bring to work each day? Vision is a clear and short statement of why what the organization does matters. Leaders make

When people realize you really are interested in their position, they move you way up their trust ladder. And trust is the basis of all engagement. So if you want to shout out to the world that you are trustworthy, start with your ears. #Empathy #EmployeeEngagement #listening #trust

In an age where everyone is seeking followers, trusted advisors are even more valuable. Every day I get emails, audio CD’s, and free downloadable books on how to use social media to gain followers. Everyone involved in social media uses numbers to track success. Since leadership is an inside out process, how do you make sure you are really worth following? While working with a client who is in the media, I started pointing out the need for a trusted advisor to make sure the

We all love the concept of employee empowerment and delegation. The beauty of vacations is they put you to the test on these concepts. Here are some test questions to see if you’re going to have a great vacation. 1)      How many customer or third party interactions does your staff ask your permission or opinion to complete? Frontline employees should never need permission to solve a customer problem, for instance. 2)      If your supervisor needed something you are working o

The speed of my progress or success has a direct correlation to the depth of my trustability. Trustability is an inside-out quality that starts with sowing trust first and demonstrating good for your word actions. Without it, no other tool or tactic comes close in working with people. People who trust me allow me more opportunities to help them and as a result my expertise grows. These same people are my best source of referrals as well. And vice versa. When someone with whom

The same is true in organizations as best I can tell. How many stories have you heard or participated in where lack of trust was the main character? Too many for most of us. The Bible teaches that you reap what you sow. Works for me. What intrigues me about companies is their lack of intentionality in this area. Ask a successful builder about their foundation strategy and expect a lecture with details. Ask a company about their trust strategy and expect a puzzled look or a re

Ever been exhausted for a good reason. Spent the day dealing with people issues. Started with counselling a student over career options and summer jobs. Went to a meeting with the BP personnel who have been administering the oil spill claims in our area. Conducted a communications strategy with my four stakeholders, went through a DISC assessment with an entrepreneur and then went to community meeting with the same BP personnel. Working with people is exhausting yet I strive

After a busy morning of prayer groups and meeting to connect programs to businesses, I noticed our cleaning lady walking by with a weird expression. I have a glass wall so I see everyone. Didn’t pay it much attention and a few minutes later I went to get a cup of coffee. She entered and my whisper told me to ask her if she was ok. Boy, did I hit the nail on the head. The school where my office is housed was closing for spring break and she had received notice this Thursday s

My personal experience added another definition. You know you’re trustworthy when it really bothers you when you fail with the trust given you. Here’s a story that nearly 30 years later haunts me. A friend introduced me to Jim Blackmon. Jim was a blind computer programmer, who wanted to run a marathon. Seriously. Having run a few and trained a few friends on how to train and complete them, I said OK. Not sure what to expect, I picked up Jim, a lanky 30 something, who was blin

So why is worrying about the future such a big industry when the answer has been there for thousands of years? Before I forget, Eddie Money agrees with all the previous thought leaders in his classic, Baby Hold On to Me. Worry is not necessarily a bad thing. Planning is a manifestation of worry. Excessive worry is a problem for two reasons. First it robs you of the joy of the moment. Since your mind can only concentrate on one thing at a time, worry trumps out thoughts of the