How To Engage Employees

"Go make some cold-calls."

I can't remember how many times I heard that from my boss years ago when I was selling copiers and fax machines for a living. Yes, I've been in the trenches too.

Truth is, cold-calling was 98% unsuccessful. Or put another way, if we called on 100 businesses we were likely to sell about two machines - usually small purchases - and usually months in the future. But you would have to endure a LOT of rejection, animosity and sometimes, downright nastiness. But I suppose it is how I would react to having my day interrupted too.

When managers have no idea how to communicate effectively with their people in a way that taps their motivation, their inspiration and their drive to excel, yeah, you tell them to go make cold-calls.

Barking orders is not engaging your people. If you want your people to engage in their work, you, as a manager, need to engage them. People will engage in their work in direct proportion to how they are engaged by their supervisors.

Otherwise, they shut down when they are told WHAT to do and not given the WHY it is important.

Managers, you get what you give. When you engage them, they engage on the job. There are no shortcuts when it comes to engagement. You MUST do this.

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Kevin Burns - Workplace Expert and Speaker