2nd Shift at State Farm - "Mom's" holiday photo goes wrong when camera starts to fall“Happy Birthday, Supy!” yelled my team.  It was lunchtime and my second-shift group surprised me with cake, a card, and balloons. Supy was one of the many nicknames they gave me during my tenure. The others were Walt Disney, Jr., Non-boss, and G. I loved them all.  That night, I gained another nickname*; one that I cherish to this day.

 

It was at this surprise celebration that someone noticed one of the balloons said, “Happy Birthday, Mom!”  When they pointed it out, everyone laughed. And, even though the gender was wrong, the team agreed it was actually appropriate.  From that night, “Mom” stuck.

 

In honor of Mother’s Day on May 13th, I wanted to offer some tips on how you, too, can become a “Mom” at work. Let’s apply the 7 characteristics of being a good mother to employee engagement.

 

  1. Nurture the bond. The Manager – Employee relationship impacts engagement more than any other factor. Look after each individual on your team and be an active force in their evolution. Remember, according to Gallup, “Managers Account for 70% of Variance in Employee Engagement.”1

 

  1. Provide structure. Engagement is often related to how well individuals understand and relate to a company’s mission or purpose. Help them understand how they fit into the “family” and how they can make a difference. Set expectations and give them the tools needed. Realize that failure is a necessary part of progress and be aware that how you reactto it will have an impact on the willingness of an employee to take future risks.

 

  1. Listen. Your team members want to know that you care. One way to demonstrate this is by focusing on your listening skills. This requires being present in the moment and sometimes listening between the lines. Summarize what you are hearing to check understanding and demonstrate your genuine interest in learning what your employees have to say.

 

  1. Be the example. There can be no double standard. Managers must follow the same rules and be held to the same principles as everyone else in the company. Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose so model the behavior, work ethic, and expectations you want to see in your team members.

 

  1. Bestow recognition and rewards. Words of encouragement and understanding go a long way to strengthen relationships. Look for opportunities to recognize good work and/or good attempts and reward employees to reinforce the outcomes you desire. Say, “Thank you” more AND more than you think you do.

 

  1. Focus on development. You are a role model and teacher. Use your experiences and knowledge to help develop your team members and prepare them for future advancement within or outside of your “immediate family.”

 

  1. Laugh. Incorporate fun into everyday life. Laughter helps reduce stress and that’s always a good thing in the workplace. Don’t take yourself too seriously. The more vulnerable you are with your team the more human you become. Speaking of laughing, the holiday photo above is a good example.  We were in the middle of our holiday photo when the tripod holding the camera began to fall.  You can see our reactions.  It’s a great memory that continues to make us laugh.

 

 

To all you “Moms” out there, keep “raising” your teams.  Happy Mother’s Day!!!

 

 

*Special thanks to Caryn, Mary Ellen (MEBs), Lyndall, Bonnie, Annette, Deanna, Linda, Sandra, Tori, Chantal, Lance, Kathy, Margie, and Sonia!

 

 

1 Beck, Randall, and James Harter. “Managers Account for 70% of Variance in Employee Engagement.” Gallup.com. Gallup, Inc., 2 Apr. 2015. Web. 17 Mar. 2016. <http://www.gallup.com/businessjournal/182792/managers-account-variance-employee-engagement.aspx>.

 

 

 

 

What “Mom” characteristics do you bring to your work family? What lessons can you share with your fellow Agents?

 

 

 

Let’s Engage! 

I’m Agent in Engagement Simpson…Gregory F Simpson.

Employee engagement is a critical mission. I hope I can count on your help! Subscribe to the RSS Feed to receive the latest intelligence/insights and/or register to make entries in the comments log.

Photo of Gregory F SimpsonYou can follow me @agtinengagement.
Email me at g…@a…t.com.
Connect via LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/GregoryFSimpson.
Learn more about me at gregoryfsimpson.com.

 

P.S.  First contact? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement community. Explore and join fellow employee engagement operatives in targeting a known thief – alias: Disengagement. Together we can bring this thief to justice and make the world a better place for all companies and their employees.

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