Sunday, March 21, 2010

En-guage-ment


"Employee engagement is a complex equation that reflects each individual’s unique, personal relationship with work."
- From a 2008 Employee Engagement Report by Blessing White

The research on employee engagement prompted me the wonder - are the points on our guages calibrated consistently? Is the standard of measurement the same for all employees, for all managers, and for all executives?

Sure, the engagement surveys define what leadership is, what alignment is, what communication is - to give consistency to these eye-of-the-beholder concepts. And, that is very important.  But, as we progress through the questions, do we maintain that defined perspective or move to our own standards?

Then an even more basic question occurred to me: do we know what we are looking for when it comes to optimal work engagement? Or, to optimal friendship engagement? Or, to any engagement with others?

How do we gauge success?
* is it according to what we invest or what we get?
* is it defined by how well others understand us or by what we learn by seeking to understand others?
* is it based on how we think we are treated or on how we think others are     
  treated?
* is it from being heard or being listened to?
* is it from what we know or what we learn?

There have been many studies over the years about significant learning events.  In the work context, leaders often say they learn the most from:
* failures
* stretch assignments
* mentors
* turnaround projects
* totally new area of responsibility (where they did not have experience or
   expertise)

And, the common reason these examples surfaced was - these situations (or mentors) helped them see things differently.  In order to be successful they had to operate differently; they learned new perspectives; they needed to recalibrate what effective leadership meant for them; the ah-ha moments came from an appreciation of how their leadership impacted others. 

What can we recalibrate in the present and learn from in the moment?  Are we setting aside time to reflect on our impact and to reassess the measure points on our guages?






Sunday, March 14, 2010

Let it Flow, Let it Flow, Let it Flow

Finding Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is a fascinating read.  His last name is pronounced 'chick-sent-me-hi' for those who are still looking at that assortment of vowels and consonents in amazement. 

He describes flow as the time 'when a person's skills are fully involved in overcoming a challenge that is just about manageable'...'when high challenges are matched with high skills'. 

It is active, focused and we are absorbed because the task is 'just about manageable', not just a routine. 

We all have examples of when we have been in the zone, totally focused.  It is exhilarating!  While we can't expect, nor would we wish to be there all of the time, these moments are the jewels in our life tapestry. 

They can be daily or weekly activities that are wonderfully engaging or less frequent stellar accomplishments.  

How do we open ourselves to more flow?  Do we recognize and appreciate the zone moments? 

Being totally involved in a work meeting, discovering something new or solving a problem can be examples of flow moments.  Gardening, Yoga, a challenging game of tennis can also provide the optimal intersection of challenge and skill.

How do we get more flow in our lives? 

Possibly by focusing, leveraging and operating with wonder




Sunday, March 7, 2010

Creating the future - in a word

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there"
- Lewis Carroll

Focusing on what we want makes it much easier to see possibilities and roads to take.  Being fragmented, unclear and too open makes finding the path a lot harder, leads us into cul de sacs and takes us on circuitous journeys.

This year, I have selected one word.  Yes, just one word, to be my focus.  Well, ok, I did turn it into an acronym of sorts because I wanted it to describe my intent.  I wanted the embellishments to make it an appealing process.

The goal of this exercise is to clearly see what we want...what is important...what will bring us joy, or peace of mind, or happiness. To describe what really matters.  Focusing on this word creates our future, compels us to action, helps us see through the clutter and hear clearly amid the roar.

Choosing the word:
Stop, meditate, consider - see what word encompasses the essence of what is most prominent for you THIS year.  This word will trigger your top values, help you make choices and prioritize actions.

Using the word:
It may form the basis for affirmations.  I can be the determining factor in day-to-day decisions.  It helps us stay true to ourselves.  It provides focus.  It evokes calmess.  When we pursue it, we are centered.

This is my word and its amplification: Abundance
When I think about this word, I break it down: ABoldUNifyingDANCE.
That reminds me:
To be bold
To look for what unifies
To dance - figuratively to move with, to have fun
And, if I seek Abundance I will look back on 2010 as a year where I stepped out (boldly), sought to understand, and found new and prosperous endeavors (playfully, joyfully).

What word fulfills and defines you this year?