Everyone suddenly seems to have realized that we need to have employees who are engaged in their work. It seems to be the latest "holy grail" in leadership and management circles (teams, lean and total quality are just three past examples).

Like the other examples, creating and nurturing engaged employees is important and will make a difference both for the individuals and the organization. I believe in the importance of engagement and the value of engaged employees. And I believe leaders can make a big difference in this area.

And, if these are my beliefs, you may be wondering why I opened on a bit of a cynical note?

Because I know many reading right now are thinking about "buzzword Bingo."

I get that.

And, even though engagement may be the latest rage, it's still an important topic for you to be familiar with - regardless of how you feel about the latest leadership fads.

(Leadership tip: I also know that when we acknowledge how others may be thinking and feeling up front we improve our ability to connect and communicate with them.)

If you agree that engagement is important and that we as leaders can do something about it, the logical next question is, what can we do? Here are four everyday actions any leader can take to support, build and nurture the engagement of team members.

The Four Ways

Acknowledge them.

I've just given you an example of this one. One of our deepest human needs is to feel heard and acknowledged. It starts with listening but goes beyond that. We do not have to agree with people in order to acknowledge them and their perspective. The quicker we realize this, the more effective we will become.

Share the big picture.

Do your folks know the big picture? Can they see past the work of your group to see how it impacts the larger organization? Do they know how your organization's products make a difference for Customers? Positive answers to all of these questions are critical to creating engaged team members. If any of the answers are no for your team, this is job one for you as a leader. Once the answers are yes, you can remind, connect and reinforce these ideas every day.

Create meaning in daily work.

People will be engaged when they feel like their work matters - that it makes a difference. Help people find that meaning. Certainly understanding the big picture will help. You also can do this by learning more about their needs, interests and skills and helping them see the connections between these and their work (or adjusting their work to create a better match). Another way to create meaning is to give people a more personal connection to Customers. When people meet or talk to those who use their work output (or the final products of the organization), the work isn't just being done "because it is my job," but to "actually help Carla the Customer."

Trust them.

Can you tell if someone trusts you? Do you try a little harder, pay a little more attention and remain a little more engaged for those who do? Your answers to these questions should be a big signal to you! Trust people. Show them in tangible ways that you do. When you do you will reap higher levels of engagement.

A Final Important Thought

One could look at these as tactics that could be used to manipulate others. Please know that if you choose to look at them in this way you will not be successful beyond the very short term - in any way. These activities will gradually create greater and greater engagement for your team members, but only when they are done authentically and genuinely.

Potential Pointer:

When you help people become more engaged in their work they are more effective. Your job as a leader is to create the environment and provide the support and tools to nurture greater individual engagement.

Kevin Eikenberry

Richard "The Eagle" Motivator
JOKE A DAY - http://todaysjoke-network.ryze.com/
http://www.TheEaglesNest.net
http://richardtheeagle.blogspot.com

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A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. The turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last! Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich. At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, 'See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt.'

Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we do not do anything ourselves. To get change in life we have to 'CHANGE.

Author Unknown

When you get involved with Network Marketing you cannot wait to see what the other people are doing you have to go out and work the Business yourself.

Richard "The Eagle" Motivator
JOKE A DAY - http://todaysjoke-network.ryze.com/
http://www.TheEaglesNest.net
http://richardtheeagle.blogspot.com

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I had the chance to hear George Foreman speak, and then had a chance to meet him afterwards (this is somewhat obvious given the picture).

I was looking forward to his talk, but I came away much more impressed than I thought I would be. To say that he exceeded my expectations would be an understatement.

I guess that shouldn't be too suprising, considering that he is a Champion.

In case you are younger than me and don't know, George Foreman isn't just a guy who sells grills on TV (he's sold 120 million of them), he is also the two-time Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the world.

In reviewing my notes of his talk, I found four clear messages for us as leaders to remember, and take action on.

Age

In responding to people who said whe was too old to become Heavyweight Champion again, he said, "Age doesn't matter, hunger does." This truth holds two messages for us. First, we shouldn't let our age be an excuse or reason to keep us from achieving and growing to our potential. Second, we shouldnt let age cloud our judgment of the capacitiies of others. Resolve today to make hunger, desire and passion bigger criteria in viewing others than age or experience.

Self Promotion

"We are our most important product." - George Foreman

This may make you feel uncomfortable from a leadership perspective - many leaders want the focus on their teams and not themselves. While this is understandable, and I'm not suggesting that as leaders we must become self aggrandizing; being confident in our abilities (and the capabilities of our team) is important too. If you know you can lead and succeed, sometimes you must tell others!

Vision

"Keep the vision by going back to where you came from." - George Foreman

Few things are more important to us as leaders than having a clear vision of where we are heading. Whether you are a supervisor, mid-level leader, or a executive leader, the need for vision is clear. George's point, I beleive is that there is power in connecting yoru vision to your values - "going back to where you came from." When you make that connection for yourself and communicate that to those you lead, your vision will be tremedously more valuable and lasting.

Values

During the Q&A session at the end of Geroge's talk, he was asked about the top three values he wanted to impart to his (10) kids. His answer was:

~ Get up early in the morning.

~ Take advice and listen.

~ Strive to be the nicest human being ever.

These clearly aren't just thoughts valuable for children. Thank about how these three pieces of advice can both apply to us and those that we coach, mentor and lead.

These lessons show us that George is a champion - not just in the ring or when pitching a product - but a champion in life.

As the picture shows, George has an autographed copy of Remarkable Leadership. Why did I give him a copy? In part because it he talked about the importance of reading and being a continual learner. Just one more reason why he was (and is) a champion.

If you want to become a more successful productive, confident leader follow George's advice. If you want to develop leaders, do the same.

By Kevin Eikenberry

Richard "The Eagle" Motivator
JOKE A DAY - http://todaysjoke-network.ryze.com/
http://www.TheEaglesNest.net
http://richardtheeagle.blogspot.com

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As leaders, we have many reasons to be grateful and to give thanks. I've written alot about gratitude and giving thanks over the years, but on this Thanksgiving morning, I am thinking specifically about my role as a leader and all I have to be thankful for.

It is written in first person on purpose. Please read it as if you wrote it, rather than casually observing it in third person. It won't be perfect for youbut I hope it spurs you to adjust and add to the list for yourself. So put on your leadership hat and read on.

. . . . . . .

As a leader, I am thankful for so many things . . .

. . . for my team. Without a team, I'm not able to learn and lead and make a difference. They are part of the reason, source of some of the challenges and more of the joy.

. . . for Customers. These people pay the bills and allow us to do what we do. You call call them whatever you want, but without those to serve, there is no need to lead.

. . . for opportunity. Sometimes we make opportunities and sometimes they are given to us. I am thankful for every leadership opportunity, even when they don't look like one at first.

. . . for responsibility. There is no question that leadership is a responsibility - some days there is more than I wish I had! But with responsibility comes rewards and a chance to grow towards my potential.

. . . for peers. They provide support, encouragement, and an example for me. They make life easier and more fun.

. . . for mentors. Some I knew or know well, some are unknowing mentors. Each has provided me examples, encouragement and more.

. . . for thought leaders. Carnegie, Drucker, Peters. Kouzes, Posner, Bennis. Roesler, Bock, Say. This list is impossibly incomplete, but my gratitude is overwhleming.

. . . for learning. This goes beyond the mentors and thought leaders for in the end, I must make new ideas, techniques and approaches my own.

. . . for goals. They are the life blood of a leader. If there are no goals, where are we leading?

. . . for ideas. For ideas give us new ways, approaches and opportunites to reach our goals.

. . . for energy. To produce the human capacity for growth, change and a better chance we can change the world.

. . . for purpose. Which gives me reason to do what do, gives me focus to keep me on track, and reminds me what really matters.

. . . for values. To keep me grounded, and reminding me that from these foundational ideas come my strength, abilities and many of the other things on this list.

. . . for family. For without them all of the goals, effort and time wouldn't be worth it.

. . . for God. Who made all the rest possible and who has given me more blessings than I can even fathom.

I'm sure my short litany won't cover all of your list. It is my hope that it inspires you to stop, be thankful, and add to it as appropriate. If you feel led to add to this list in a comment, I, and everyone else that reads this, will be thankful too.

By Kevin Eikenberry

Richard "The Eagle" Motivator
JOKE A DAY - http://todaysjoke-network.ryze.com/
http://www.TheEaglesNest.net
http://richardtheeagle.blogspot.com

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By: Robert Prentice

There have been times in my life when it felt like my life was a train wreck waiting to happen. (Yes, I can admit this, though it is hard to do so!) I found through the process of hitting the brick walls, and getting slammed around, that in the darkest of moments, there is always a reason for everything that happens and that life's challenges will either make us or break us.

I have also learned, through the difficulties of life, that it is vital to have a life plan or a life strategy. This is especially true when we get knocked off track or have hit that so-called 'brick wall.' We need to have a tool for getting us back on the right path, and a life strategy is just the key.

At this point you may be wondering how to go about creating a life strategy. I will walk you through the process, which is really quite simple.

First, make a list of the top priorities in your life. Key areas to consider might be relationship with God, Spouse, and Children, Home/Family, Career/Professional, Financial, Hobbies, Social, Political, Education and Self Improvement.

Next, develop a mission statement for each of these areas. State what you want in each priority and why you want it.

Then, write a plan of action for each of these priorities. In each plan, list some specific strategies you would like to see implemented. For instance, on the 'Spouse' page, I may include: Take Vicki out on a date at least once a month for 'Just Because I Love You Day' . . . Spend time debriefing at the end of each day . . . and so on. The 'Children' page may include: Implement a family game night every Friday . . . Be home for all birthdays even if it means turning down work . . . I am sure you get the idea.

Action Plan:

Compile your plans into a 3-ring binder, arranging them in the order of priority to you. This will allow you to add to, and be reminded of, your life strategies anytime you want. I love working on life strategies, so contact me if I can help you work on your life strategy.

Richard "The Eagle" Motivator
JOKE A DAY - http://todaysjoke-network.ryze.com/
http://www.TheEaglesNest.net
http://richardtheeagle.blogspot.com

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