Team engagement is at the forefront of Management strategy on getting the most our of your team in this competitive environment. In the fast-paced world of leadership, is there room for a leader who isn’t feeding their own ego and showing off? It doesn’t have to be that way. Here is how the humble leader can achieve high team engagement results.
Have you found yourself fantasizing about a majority of employees that not only bring you issues – but also solutions? Imagine, employees that don’t just grumble at the water cooler and will approach leadership with productive ideas to issues that they have identified, or problems that you have challenged your team to troubleshoot. Research says that this is possible – and a significant influence is the level of humility demonstrated by leaders.
Employees are more likely going to speak up, if they believe that they are going to be heard by their leader, have a legitimate opportunity to change their leaders mind, and feel safe doing so.
How do we accomplish this? It’s two-fold: we need to adjust our receptiveness to feedback with staff, and they need to have opportunities to bring ideas forwards until it feels organic.
How the balance of power affects feedback
The trusty business text books describe this power imbalance between a manager and a subordinate as power distance. Plainly said, the manager has control of the resources and that puts them at an advantage.
When the power is distributed more evenly – such as employee feedback is encouraged and not punished – the hierarchy becomes flattened.
This leveling of power distance creates a culture where employees are more engaged, because they feel that their work matters, and their voice matters.
To achieve this decreased power imbalance, a humble leadership style is one where is more open and recognizes that they do not have all of the answers to all problems. Instead, they lead by influencing others and inspiring great teamwork.
This is contrary to our traditional vision of a leader at the top calling all the shots and no accountability to anyone but themselves. Research supports that this is an outdated idea – and CEOs with higher humility levels had higher performing teams due to an increase in collaboration and flexibility. Adopt the tactics below to adopt an increased humble leader style so that you can increase engagement on your own team!
Why is a humble leader easier to approach?
What is it about being humble that makes this type of leader easier to speak with and pitch ideas to? Simple put, they exercise their listening skills.
1. They don’t let their ego get in their way
They recognize that they do not have all of the answers to every problem. The people who are on the ground with the minute details have a lot to offer.
2. They solicit ideas from employees
Get a great start on staff engagement by making it known that you want ides. To build up a culture at your workplace of employees speaking up with feedback and ideas, put it on some of your meeting agendas.
3. Focus on employees needs
This goes to the theory of servant leadership where you focus on what you can do for your team.
4. Demonstrated action plan for when an employee comes up with an idea.
If your employees take the time to tell you that they have an issue, demonstrate that you take it seriously and demonstrate an action plan towards it.
If appropriate, ensure that employee has a role in the action plan too!
5. They credit the employee publicly for their idea too!
You know how they day that leadership is a thankless position? Well, that’s because you should be crediting others where you can!
Where appropriate, ensure that the employee gets the credit for their idea or process improvement. This will encourage others to bring forward their ideas and reaffirm to the individual that their input was valued.
The humble leader gets the employee ideas for team engagement
An example from my early leadership days, was an employee that wanted to speak with me – and bring a coworker that added nothing to the conversation. They only wanted to discuss processes, why did they need to bring a coworker for for support?
Perhaps because they worried that there would be some sort of punitive action towards them for speaking up and wanted someone else to vouch for what was said?
Over 9-12 months (because sustained change isn’t fast), through the gradual actions listed below, this employee will stop me in the hallway to chat about an idea that just struck them.
They had learned through demonstrated actions that feedback is strongly encouraged, that their ideas are heard and implemented, and they will not get “in my bad books” by suggesting process improvements or disagreeing with an idea I have.
What’s the benefit of increasing staff engagement?
The benefit of employees bringing ideas forwards are problems solved before they cause issues, and ideas that have more opportunity to be actionable because they were suggested by the people doing the work.
We have all been subordinates at one point, how satisfying was it to see a bad middle manager fall on their face when they were warned that there was an issue – and they dismissed it and insisted that their way was best? Those are the managers that we privately mentioned to ourselves that we never wanted to be like – so here’s how to avoid falling in to the same trap.
It’s a balancing act between the staff feeling heard and therefore engaged, and leaders having the final sign off on any resulting changes. The humble leader will get the team engagement increased to where ideas flow naturally.
Read, Why You Should Care if Employees Think It’s Fair, to find out how you can be transparent in your decision making.
Strategies to increase staff engagement
Implement these strategies below so you can harness the power of being a humble leader to achieve high team engagement. When your team tell you what they need, you don’t’ have to be some sort of mind reader, instead you can use the employee’s feedback and ideas.
Be willing to change course
Not every plan that you develop will go smoothly. Be willing to adjust so that it stays on track. The team knows when you go off track. Admit it, adjust course, and move on. They will respect you for it.
Rigid hierarchy isn’t required
The employees know who is in charge. You do not need to flash around your business card with your position title on it. The humble leader has a quiet confidence that others respect.
Identify what the team needs
What is the team expectation as to the level of humility that a Manager will need to demonstrate? This will vary from industry to industry and within different companies.
Be flexible, and try to see what will get you results for team engagement. Are they sharing more at meetings, are they Do you still retain your authority within the group? If they share their ideas freely, but value your option and final sign-off on the idea – you are in the humble leader sweet spot.
When it comes creating high team engagement by being a humble leader, this could be the new era for your team. Instead of feeling like you need to rule from the top, try to flatten the hierarchy and see those awesome ideas come forward!