A simple and quick way to engage others

3 September 2024

As a leader, you are expected to engage the people you are responsible for.

There are, of course, many ways you can do this, ranging from offering praise and recognition to empowering your team with autonomy in their roles.

I believe one of the most effective approaches, and the essential starting point, is to meet people where they are. To understand their challenges, fears, frustrations, wants, dreams, goals and aspirations.

While this makes logical sense, many of us in positions of influence don’t take the time to explore these aspects. Sometimes we don’t think to or aren’t aware that we should, especially if we are new to leadership. And often, very often, fear holds us back.

  • The fear that we won’t have solutions to the answers – The fear of Inadequacy
  • The fear that the answers will be confronting – The fear of discomfort
  • The fear that we will not be able to meet requests – The fear of limitation

Sometimes we also believe these questions to be a waste of time, pointless when there is already a plan in place, or a course mapped out.

And when these thoughts and fears arise—usually unconsciously—we do what humans have been doing for centuries: we skip right past them, justifying why they aren’t necessary and assuming that others will simply accept what we tell them, and that everything will work out as we hoped or planned.

But you and I both know that isn’t the case, because when leaders, parents or anyone in a position of influence have taken this approach with us, we will have done one of two things:

Gone on the journey unwillingly, with one eye artfully seeking other opportunities

OR

Openly resisted and remained uncooperative

Both of which, mean we weren’t really engaged and bought in fully!

These responses, especially the latter, remind me of the famous quote, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.

I am sure you will agree that both these examples reiterate that sometimes despite our efforts, we can’t make others act against their will. It’s one of the greatest challenges of leading and getting others onboard.

But it isn’t a challenge that can’t be overcome. First, because you are dealing with humans, and you can converse with them and second, when you have a simple process and know how to use it , you’ll be well equipped to engage your people and get them onboard.

There are several steps to doing this and various ways to adapt to different situations that arise, details that would take too long to cover in this newsletter. However, a great starting point is simply to ASK.

  • What frustrates you?
  • What keeps you up at night? What worries you? 
  • What is that you want?
  • What are your aspirations?
  • What are your goals?

Trust this has been helpful in some way, shape or form.

Kylie