Preface
Engagement—that was the word I had been trying to put my finger on for some time. It was powerful and suggestive in a way that attracts people to it with curiosity Engagement is having passion, connectedness, motivation, and a willingness to give your best in order to benefit yourself and your organization. I read more on the topic of engagement, including the extensive research conducted by the Gallup Organization and the Corporate Leadership Council on organizational engagement and the implications of disengaged workforces. Each of these organizations uses a different framework to look at engagement, but both studies are very research and data-focused on an organizational level. Their research created the initial lens through which I viewed engagement.
Despite these studies, the general lack of data, models, and books on engaging leadership left me yearning for a practical, hands-on approach to becoming an engaging leader—the type of leader who actively and intentionally creates an engaging environment by connecting people to their work in meaningful ways. The research I‧d come across so far did not provide a roadmap to actually becoming an engaging leader. I wanted to articulate, in a pragmatic way, how a person can become an engaging leader.
After exploring countless personal stories—from students in my classes, other consultants and facilitators, and leaders—I identified a few prominent, common threads related to engagement. These threads became the approach to engaging leadership I used as the foundation of this book. The approaches I present stem from real-life examples and personal experiences over time. I believe that they will resonate with people and cut-through some of the idealistic views that leadership books often take.
I‧ve worked to provide an approach to engaging leadership that leaders at any organizational level can relate to—one that is practical and gets to the heart of what it means to be an engaging leader. Cutting through the trendy leadership jargon and selling points, I set out to write a book that would truly help all leaders, regardless of their title, experience, or number of colleagues.
Because engagement creates connections with and for others, this book focuses on what leaders can do both to monitor their own level of engagement and to engage others. To get the most out of this book, and to become an engaging leader, it‧s necessary to engage both your mind (through analytical, critical, and creative thinking) and your heart (through empathy and emotions).
Key elements of this book include:
The Engaging Leader Approach—the model that serves as the foundation for this book, built by the four cornerstones of engaging leadership: building trust, understanding unique motivations, managing performance from a people-centric perspective, and engaging others’ emotions.
Principles—short, highlighted statements throughout the text that concisely convey key messages about engaging leadership.
Exercises—opportunities to explore, reflect on, and practice key concepts and techniques, including self-assessments and self-reflective questions. The exercises can be used to clarify aspects of the engaging leader approach that are “internal” to you and focus on you as a leader. All the exercises are included on the supplemental CD that accompanies this book.
Practice Tools—tools and techniques available to help you practice and apply the engaging leader approach. The focus of the practice tools is on external relationships and creating connections with others. Personalize or adapt them to meet individual needs as necessary. Practice tools are also included on the CD.
Stories—real-world examples that convey the engaging leader approaches in action.
CD—the tools, techniques, and exercises presented in the book, as well as additional resources, to print and use to become an engaging leader.
In my approach to engaging leadership, I have focused almost entirely on the interpersonal relationships leaders develop with others as a means for increasing engagement. I am looking forward to doing more work on how individuals’ self-perceptions shape their engagement and how engaging leadership fits into larger organizational systems. I‧ve touched on these topics briefly but recognize the need to offer more. Look for another book on each of these topics in the future.
While this book can help you become a more engaging leader, it is not a quick fix. It may change the way you see or think about things by providing insights, new frameworks, or even paths to success. However, bringing about visible, behavioral changes will require individual thought and action. Focus on making changes in areas within your control: It‧s not always possible to change organizational culture overnight, or to adjust processes and systems that are already firmly in place. But you can change what you as a leader hold yourself accountable for, especially the way you interact with others.
My own experience has brought the powerful feeling of being engaged. I also know the disappointment associated with not being engaged. You have probably had similar experiences. Time and time again I see “disconnects” between leaders and the people who work for them. These disconnects consistently foster disengagement. In my training and consulting work, I hear stories about leaders who completely ignore individuals’ true needs, fostering cynicism and discontent. To get the best from people, leaders need to pay attention to individuals in a more holistic way. This way of leading benefits everyone.
Being an engaging leader can have a tremendous impact on you and on others, and I hope you decide to take steps toward becoming a leader who strives to build meaningful connections between individuals and their work. This book provides a pathway; the first step is yours to take.
Casey Wilson
Washington, D.C.