Level Up Leadership

According to an article in Forbes, research out of the company CultureAmp has found that there are five crucial drivers of employee engagement. Employees must believe that they are working for a company where they can make a significant contribution in their field, and they must believe that their company has good career prospects for them. The other three crucial drivers all revolve around executive leadership. According to CultureAmp, motivating employees depends upon having a boss who inspires confidence, shows faith in his or her employees, and who communicates an inspiring vision.

Fostering initiative in the workplace depends upon each of these factors, and each requires a long-term focus.

Bosses who inspire confidence are more interested in supporting the overarching goals of an employee rather than nitpicking the details of their work. A boss who has faith in his employees will allow them the freedom to explore projects on their own rather than focusing in on deadlines and daily tasks. Finally, a good boss will talk with her employees about what they want to achieve in their own careers rather than simply laying down rules and objectives.

As George Anders says in the article, bosses who have these three qualities will be rewarded with a workforce that is ready to get things done. A long-term focus dependent upon trust and engagement will help create a positive workplace culture that fosters initiative and creativity.

Engaging employees should be at the forefront of your management directives, and true engagement can’t be achieved without giving employees the opportunity to look beyond their day-to-day tasks and assignments to the broader picture. Just as your company must have a long-term vision for the greatest success, your employees must also be given the tools to develop a long-term vision of their careerpath within your organization.

If you’re worried that your managers have a short-term focus, it might be time to try comprehensive employee assessments. Our assessments can help you determine where the problems are within your organization that are hindering initiative in the workplace. Armed with information provided by our team, you will be able to move forward with new goals and a stronger vision for motivating employees throughout your business.