Monday, October 21, 2013

I'm Engaged! (at least I think I am)


It used to be called satisfaction. But that didn't sound trendy enough. Now it's called engagement, and it's not only much trendier, it means a whole lot more (ahem...not really) than satisfaction. I know when I get home each night I like to sit back and discuss how engaged I felt all day long. I bet you do too! 

Labels Make Us Feel Better 
What is it about our work that requires we label everything? I appreciate the value in common language in the workplace. It allows for a shared vision to be communicated, acted upon, and ultimately achieved with fewer misunderstandings.

That makes sense.

Where we sometimes go too far is when we allow the labels to become the work. No longer are we focused on the actions that drive engagement. Instead we wrap ourselves around engagement surveys, reports, action planning and documentation of all that we're "doing" to achieve higher scores, better ratings, or some other stretch goal that has been identified.

Are missing something when we get so caught up in the business of engagement work vs actually leading our organizations? 

Doing Is Best 
One of my struggles is to avoid the busyness trap, get past the noise around me, and focus on the real work. Maybe it's inherent in human resources...maybe in all work...but the distractions we face can quickly eat up our entire day. 

 
That doesn't make sense.

There are many tools available to help us stay organized, make sure we follow through, and avoid the clutter that fills our calendar. The most important step, as I'm learning (still), is to develop a commitment to those tools. 

Having a plan to avoid distractions and be productive is very different from executing that plan. I'm pushing myself to be much more rigid in my focus to ensure I follow through relentlessly. 

How About You 
Do you allow the labels in your workplace to become the work? Or, have you mastered the art of blocking out the noise, and making follow through your number one priority?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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