Taking active interest.
Here is one quote, one question and one idea to contemplate.
"When leaders throughout an organization take an active, genuine interest in the people they manage, when they invest real time to understand employees at a fundamental level, they create a climate for greater morale, loyalty, and yes, growth."
- Patrick Lencioni
What can we do to show we are interested in understanding others?
Engagement is about how mentally and emotionally connected we feel to our work, team, and leadership. A key to strengthening that connection is demonstrating a desire to understand others at a fundamental level. But understanding is no easy feat. Not because we think it takes time, but because of the challenge of truly grasping what someone means.
When working with leaders and teams, I share that investing in two things can fostering understanding:
The Pause. Taking a breath and pausing, for even a moment, helps us absorb what we are hearing from another and consider what we might be missing.
Extending the invitation of “Tell me more”. This simple phrase puts the focus on the other and communicates that we genuinely care about understanding their thoughts and perspectives.
These two actions show we are interested, encouraging engagement.
I’d love to learn about the investments you make to show interest in understanding others and strengthen connection. Share your thoughts with me via email, and I'll bring together the best ideas so we can all learn and grow from each other's experiences.
Until next time,
Maria
P.S. If this has been helpful, then feel free to pass it along to someone else who might enjoy it too.
WHAT’S COMING UP?
On October 22 we launch the Understood Mini-Series, a group of short videos that will share:
Why we struggle to understand others
The roots and impacts of misunderstanding
The art of understanding others
Strategies to foster understanding and advance engagement
Click the sign up button below to receive this series of videos directly to your inbox.
GETTING READY?
If you and your leadership team are starting to plan for 2025 - let’s talk about how I can help you elevate engagement and drive organizational performance, so that you can move beyond chasing engagement metrics and start leading them!