You Are Here. Photo by John Baker on UnsplashWhile your employees have a responsibility for their own engagement, you, their direct manger, play the biggest role when it comes to employee engagement. “Gallup estimates that the manager accounts for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement scores across business units.”1  You are a guide.

 

Before you get too big-headed, remember, you are “just” a guide. Of course, I use “just” sarcastically as “in simply; only; no more than.”2 A guide is “a person who advises or shows the way to others”3 and “direct[s] or ha[s] an influence on the course of action of (someone or something).4 Being a guide is an extremely important responsibility. The experience you provide directly ties to your direct reports level of engagement.

 

Let’s look at the types of guide you’ll need to become, the traits you’ll need to be successful, and the actions you must take to help each employee reach their destination.

 

 

Types of Guide5

Your role requires that you become various types of guide.

  • On-site Guide – your work takes place in a specific building, floor, or a limited area.
  • Professional Guide – you are well experienced.
  • Linguistic Guide – you can translate corporate speak and you can tailor your language to the intended audience.
  • Private or Personal Guide – you take a small number of individuals on their own exclusive journey.
  • Specialized Guide – you have highly unique expertise or skills.

 

 

Required Traits6

With these traits, you’ll be able to successfully guide your employees.

  • Approachable – you have a friendly demeanor and employees feel comfortable around you.
  • Available – you make time for others.
  • Listener – you pay attention and hear what is/what is not being said.
  • Inquisitive – you have a natural curiosity about others; you seek to learn more.
  • Compassionate – you demonstrate a genuine concern for others.
  • Knowledgeable – you are well-informed about your company and your direct reports.
  • Prepared – you are ready to serve at any moment; you continue to develop yourself.
  • Communicator – you can share your thoughts and ideas in a way that others can understand.
  • Honest – you are truthful and sincere in your words and actions.
  • Open – you avoid pretense and share your good and difficult experiences.
  • Objective – you rely on facts and avoid bringing in your personal feelings.

 

 

Required Actions

These are the actions you must take to help each employee reach their destination.

  • Elevate – raise the bar on what you expect from your employees and yourself.
  • Challenge – provide opportunities to test your direct report’s abilities in a way that benefits them and builds their self-confidence.
  • Purvey Resources – use company resources to help your direct reports reach their destination (achieve their potential) even though that destination might be outside of the company.
  • Teach – share your knowledge to help your direct reports build their skills and avoid common pitfalls.
  • Practice – provide your direct reports with repeated opportunities to apply what they know and improve on what they have learned.
  • Recognize – Acknowledge and reinforce the actions, habits, and knowledge you want to see more of in your direct reports.

 

 

Guides Focus on Experiences

A “guide can play an important role in promoting work as an “experience,” as well as “creating memorable interpretations.”7 You are in charge of determining the itineraries that best fit your direct reports’ needs. You play a role in bringing their adventure to life. Ultimately, it’s not about you. It’s about the experience(s) you provide. That’s not to say that you won’t benefit from being in this role. You see, everyone is a guide. Your experience might result in your direct reports becoming your guide as the same time.

 

 

“Just” a Guide

You have a duty to you help your direct reports navigate their interactions with your company as well as prepare them for the next step in their careers. You are more than “just” a guide.

 

 

 

What are your thoughts on being a guide?  What additional traits or actions would you add?

 

 

1 Harter, Jim, and Brandon Rigoni. State of the American Manager: Analytics and Advice for Leaders. Rep. Washington, DC: Gallup, 2015. Print.
2 “Just.” Google Search, Google, www.google.com/search?q=just.
3 “Guide.” Google Search, Google, www.google.com/search?q=guide.
4 Ibid.
5 Dy, Gee. “Types of Tour Guide.” TheTraveler’s Notes, 23 Nov. 2009, drelevart.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/types-of-tour-guide/.
6  DeMers, Jayson. “7 Key Qualities of an Effective Mentor.” Inc., Manuseto Ventures, 1 Oct. 2014, www.inc.com/jayson-demers/7-key-qualities-of-an-effective-mentor.html.
7  Dy, Gee. “Types of Tour Guide.” TheTraveler’s Notes, 23 Nov. 2009, drelevart.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/types-of-tour-guide/.

Photo by John Baker on Unsplash

 

 

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.

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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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