Ignite Your Team: Maximizing Engagement & Satisfaction

In my experience, people generally want three things at work – to make a difference, spend time with people who care about them and to be part of a winning team. When all three of the needs are met, magic happens. Engagement and job satisfaction soars. When these needs aren’t met, people check out and morale suffers. It’s a simple equation, but it makes a huge impact. 

People need to know how what they do every day contributes to the success of their team and the organization. This simple step connects daily activities and individual contributions to the overall vision. It’s a crucial, but often overlooked step. In fact, I believe it’s one of the most important tasks of any leader.

An impactful vision alone doesn’t drive full engagement. People are empowered to give more if they know the leaders genuinely care about them as individuals and about their success. Leaders should always get to know your team members (their families, hobbies and goals), invest in helping them develop personally and professionally and be a great coach that helps them thrive.

Nothing helps engage a team, and the individuals on the team, like winning. In sports this is easier to measure, one team generally outscores the other. In business, the leader may need to work harder to define what winning looks like. It could be a clear goal like breaking a sales record, but other times it might be small steps along a much longer path to success. The leader must frame the effort, define what right looks like and articulate what it means to win as a team.

The next time you pull together a team, invest a little time upfront to connect individual work efforts to the broader goal.  Create a compelling vision and help people understand how their work makes a difference. While you’re at it, get to know your team. Find ways to be a servant leader by helping team members personally or professionally.  And then define the win.  That includes the ultimate win, but also the small wins along the way.  

Tying individuals to the larger vision, caring about people, and winning.  It’s a simple equation, but when done right, it creates a healthy, happy, and hungry team – and that’s the type of team everyone wants to be on.