According to recent Gallup research on employee engagement, only 36% of U.S. employees are engaged in their work and workplace. Gallup tracks employee engagement trends by surveying the working population about issues that affect organizational outcomes, including profitability, productivity, customer service, retention, safety and overall wellbeing.
Research reflects that disengaged employees tend to be poorly managed. It is incumbent on organizational leaders to both set expectations, and support managers in the development of skills and competencies required to improve their effectiveness. The productivity and wellness advantages of being able to connect with, inspire and engage colleagues have been well-documented.
Ann Sabbag, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Health Designs, and Brenda Harrington, Founder and CEO of Adaptive Leadership Strategies, LLC, recently shared their thoughts on effective leadership. They identified specific behaviors and skill sets of highly-effective leaders, common leadership mistakes, differences in how men and women approach leadership, and strategies that leaders can employ to better engage their teams.
Harrington believes the best leaders know when to “get out of the way” to motivate those around them. Leaders who openly admit they don’t always have all the answers tend to better inspire their teams to step up, participate and engage in ways that benefit everyone. Their job, she stresses, is not to do all the work themselves, but “to get the work done.”
“Smart leaders hire people who are smarter than them,” Sabbag added. She highlighted her top three leadership traits: leaders who are trustworthy, authentic and compassionate are people who best inspire those around them. Great leaders ask a lot of questions of their team members, she added. They inspire their teams to be better problem solvers themselves, instead of always going to leadership to solve problems.
According to Sabbag, one of the strengths women bring to leadership is that female leaders are often more collaborative, inclusive and are simply better observers of people. This can lead to a leadership style that is more empathetic and effective, as women may be quicker to intervene when team members need support or encouragement.
Sabbag also spoke about the importance of focus on workplace wellness, and Harrington about the importance of diverse representation among leaders and on teams. Both feel that, despite the setbacks of the pandemic, this is a time of great opportunity for female leaders, who tend to be better listeners and more attuned to the professional development of others around them.
Virginia-based Matthews, Carter & Boyce’s Kathleen Flaherty, a principal with the CPA firm, also shared some thoughts from her own experiences. Good leaders, she said, offer the opportunity to be a “co-partner” with a team member, bringing support and encouragement when that colleague is taking a leap or trying something new. “Just saying, ‘I’ve got your back’ and to know that person is right there, supporting you along the way,” she said. This was something she found incredibly reassuring as she progressed in her own career, and she has made it a priority to do this for others.
Notably, Gallup research states “career wellbeing” enhances every aspect of wellbeing, including social, financial, physical and community. This research concluded: “Doubling the national employee engagement percentage would have a profoundly positive impact on workers’ mental health and overall wellbeing throughout the country.”
Harrington offers these key takeaways for organizations to better prepare their leadership to engage their teams and colleagues:
- Foster the creation of a leadership culture that reflects how organizational leaders are expected to “show up.”
- Make leadership and professional development an organizational priority.
- Recognize employees as people and not just producers by making room for individual skills, talents, and interests.
Harrington commented: “People really need to focus more on relationships in all aspects of leadership. This is how we can create spaces for everyone to be successful.”
To learn more leadership strategies, view our entire presentation here.
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