Crisis In Employee Engagement

Tony Schwartz of the Energy Project has an article in the June 2010 issue of Harvard Business Review. The article, The Productivity Paradox: How Sony Pictures Gets More Out of People by Demanding Less, looks at how leaders can easily under-estimate how their attitudes and behaviors affect the energy levels of their teams. The article focuses on shifting from "managing by treating people like computers" to trying to invest systematically meeting their four core needs. The four core needs are:

1. Physical Health - Achieved through nutrition, sleep, daytime renewal, and exercise.
2. Emotional Well-Being - Which grows out of feeling appreciated and valued.
3. Mental Clarity - The ability to focus intensely, prioritize, and think creatively.
4. Spiritual Significance - Which comes from the feeling of serving a mission beyond generating a profit.

People perform at their peak when they alternate between periods of intense focus and intermittent renewal. Leaders have a role in setting the right context for their employees to replenish their energy. Schwartz outlines several dos and don'ts:

Do

• Take back your lunch. Get away from your desk, and preferably out of the office altogether, so that you come back to work more focused and fueled to face the rest of the day. It will encourage your employees to do the same.
• Communicate your values. Feeling valued is our core emotional need. Write a note of appreciation to someone who works for you once a week. Be very specific about what it is that you value.
• Cultivate creativity. Set aside an informal, relaxing space at work that is devoted to creative thinking and brainstorming. Schedule a regular time - - at least once every two weeks - - when colleagues gather to brainstorm new ideas, discuss longer-term projects, or set strategy.
• Share your passion. Communicate what you stand for and what your larger mission is, beyond profit. If that isn't clear to you, set aside time to reflect on it. What is it that gets you up in the morning? What's the value you're trying to add in the world? Why should others feel passionate about doing it, too?

Don't

• Avoid conflict. Ignoring a difficult situation typically does more harm than communicating directly and honestly about it. The key to a successful conversation is not to assume you're right but to enter into it in a spirit of openness and curiosity.
• Try to do multiple things at the same time. Make an effort to give people your full focus and try to listen without interrupting. You know you're succeeded if you're capable of repeating back what you just heard.
• Be self-absorbed. It's easy to make it all about you. Try to step beyond your own immediate needs to better serve the needs of those you lead.