Send to KindleEmployee Engagement: Be Part of Something Big
It was dark. It seemed awfully hot for November in San Antonio, Texas. As our large group descended from the bus that had brought us from the airport some guy in a big hat was yelling something about his Air Force and what insignificant low life creatures we were. The rest of the night was spent picking up bags moving a little ways, then setting them down, only to pick them up again.
That was so many years ago, but is still a vivid memory. We low life creatures did not realize it at the time, but we were learning our first lesson in leadership, and a secret to employee engagement.
As I recall those days I remember when we were allowed to wear the U.S. Air Force name on our utility uniforms. We were told we had to earn that privilege. By that time we had begun to see that we were part of something much bigger than ourselves.
That same attitude should permeate every organization. Your organization may not be charged with defense of the nation, but you exist for a reason. Each of your employees is part of that, they are all essential to the success of the organization. Do they understand that?
Have you made it clear to each and every one of your employees that they are part of something bigger than just themselves? Sometimes I hear comments like “This doesn’t really apply because my company doesn’t do anything as lofty as the military.”
My answer is that you, or someone, has built your company and made it a success. As such it provides a product or service that is obviously in some demand and which offers a benefit to others. If you can’t sell that as something bigger than the individual employees, you might want to find another job.
In other words, your people won’t believe they’re part of something bigger than themselves until you do. Show them they are by helping them understand why they are important to the organization and how important their contribution is to the larger organization: that they’re part of something bigger than themselves.
Military uniforms and insignia are obvious signs of belonging but they’re meaningless without each individual’s understanding of their part in the larger organization.
