10 best ways to engage and connect with employees

© 2014 The Grossman Group

DAVID GROSSMAN, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, Founder & CEO @ThoughtPartner

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10 Best Ways to Engage and Connect

with Employees


2© 2014 The Grossman Group

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA helps leaders drive productivity and get the results they want through authentic and courageous leadership communication, a sought-after speaker and advisor to Fortune 500 leaders. A three-time author, David’s latest book, “No Cape Needed: The Simplest, Smartest, Fastest Steps To Improve How You Communicate By Leaps and Bounds” was published in the fall of 2015 and recently won the Pinnacle book award for the “Best in Business” category. His other books include, “You Can’t NOT Communicate: Proven Communication Solutions That Power the Fortune 100,” and its follow-up, “You Can’t NOT Communicate 2.”

David is CEO of The Grossman Group, an award-winning Chicago-based strategic leadership development and internal communication consultancy; clients include: DuPont Pioneer, Eastman Chemical Company, Lockheed Martin, McDonald’s, Motel 6 and Tyco, to name a few.

A frequent media source for his expert commentary and analysis on employee and leadership issues, David was recently featured on “NBC Nightly News,” CBS MoneyWatch, WSJ.com, TODAY.com, in the Chicago Tribune and the LA Times. @ThoughtPartner© 2016 The Grossman Group

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Great leaders don’t just manage employees; they make sure employees are motivated, engaged and inspired when coming to work. Overlooking

these principles can result in disengagement, loss of valuable employees, increased anxiety and poor decision making, among other challenges.

By not engaging with your employees, you could be missing out on key benefits that can contribute to everyone’s success.

Following are 10 things you can do to create better relationships with your employees and increase engagement.


1. Value and inspire employees

Employees need to feel inspired and valued at work. That’s part of your role.Organizations aren’t great at motivating people; leaders are. Take seriously your responsibility to provide the information that people need to do their jobs well, plus the inspiration to encourage something extra – whether that’s extra time,

brainpower or effort.


2. Ask open-ended questions to create dialogue

Every time you are in front of an employee, whether one-on-one or in a group, you have an opportunity to increase that engagement through dialogue. Unlike

questions that give people limited options for response, open-ended questions encourage employees to express their perspectives. Asking open-ended questions

also recognizes that others might have different perspectives from yours. When you listen to what employees have to say, showing interest and respect for their

input, it shows you care and the impact can be significant.


3. Recognize and motivate employees for doing their job

The most effective leaders know that the only way to get things done and move a business forward is through people. Recognize the behaviors you want to see more of. Share appreciation for a task well done and reward employees who exhibit your

desired behaviors. It doesn’t cost anything and will reap rewards now and in the future.


4. Ask for input, feedback & suggestions

To truly move employees to action, we have to know what they care about and get into their mindset. Stop talking so much. Ask for input and feedback. People are

more likely to support what they help create. Stop the monologues and talking at your employees; facilitate real, two-way conversations.


5. Be a role model

You’re aware that employees listen to what you say, and pay close attention to what you do. The reality is that when it comes to keeping employees engaged, body language speaks first, and often louder than words. Reflect on what others are

seeing in you and develop the awareness not only to act the role of the leader you want to be, but to role model the actions and characteristics that you would like to

see in others.


6. Make the performance review a chance to inspire

If the annual performance review is a check-off-the-box activity, you’re

missing a key opportunity to engage and motivate your employees.

Ask important questions to gain valuable information and help your

employees feel valued and appreciated.

Here are some questions you can ask:

• What needs to happen to make this meeting highly motivating for you?

• What can I do to help you improve?

• What do you want most from your job?


7. Share stories to connect on a personal level

Employees don’t want to follow leaders who they don’t really know and understand. It’s difficult to get anywhere with your team if they don’t see you as a real person

who’s not perfect, but who has a real vision for the company. One of the key ways to help people get to

know you is by sharing stories about yourself and connecting with

employees on a personal level.


8. Be authentic

When you ask employees, they want to be able to connect with

their leader—today more than ever before. Employees want to know what you have to say; they also

want to know what you stand for. Authenticity starts with self-

awareness. You need to know yourself and be comfortable being

yourself with your employees.


9. Embrace conflict Having tough conversations and

communicating difficult topics is part of a leader’s job. The principle I share

with leaders who avoid conflict is simply this: go toward the conflict. It’s

only through what might feel like “rupture” that “repair” can happen. That’s the upside of conflict handled

well—improved relationships and trust.


10. Manage conversations

It’s important to realize that most problems in business

today lie in the absence of real communication, and to understand the need to

facilitate dialogue and be purposeful in our conversations with employees and teams. As a result, you’re able to create

shared meaning and move people to action.


By applying these strategies to your leadership approach, you will see a significant difference in the way your employees

connect and interact with you.


Sought after speaker to leading organizations and forums:

• What to Do When You CAN’T NOT Communicate• Turning Strategy Into Action• Top 10 Mistakes Communicators Make• How to Think Like a CEO • Cutting to Win: How to Get Employees on Your Side During

Cost Cuts • Authenticity • 21st Century Communications: Successful Strategies to

Deliver Authentic Communication • Tackling “Email Overload” On A Global Scale• The Power of Internal Branding: The Communicator’s Secret

Weapon• The Power of Storytelling• Communication Training for Leaders at all Levels

POPULAR KEYNOTES & TRAININGS:

*All keynotes and corporate trainings are customized to meet unique business needs

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IN TOUCH


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• The Grossman Group approach works to inspire and engage employees while helping organizations promote diversity and inclusion as part of their overall strategic employee communications planning.

• Strategic business partners first, communication counselors second

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10 best ways to engage and connect with employees

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