I encourage you to visit the Official Olympic website and view some of the 1 or 2 minute quick videos from the personal trainer section. Although the advice is based on Olympic performance I believe most of what these athletes offer can be used by any of us who want to engage more fully in our own performances.

Some of the topics for tips include:

• How do you hand on to the fun side of things?
• How do you make sure you do a good job?
• How do you maintain you sense of fair play?
• Why is teamwork important?

View this short sample video on what essential qualities do you need to succeed.

Click here to go this special section of the site and enjoy the Olympics.

Here are a few tidbits from the Blessing White State of Engagement  2008 - North America Report:

• Fewer than 1 in 3 employees is fully engaged.
• 19% are disengaged.
• 85% of engaged employees plan to stay with their employer and focus on their contributions.
• Opportunities to use talent and career development and training heighten work satisfaction.
• Only about half of employees trust their senior leadership while about 75% trust their manager.
• Bad managers are the third most common reason people leave their employer.

The comprehensive report also includes 10 tips to engage your team, including:

• Hire engage-able team members.
• Earn trust every day.
• Remember that feedback is a gift.

Click here to get a copy of this excellent report. There are also reports for Asia, Germany, etc.

I participated in a 10 day improvisation course with Keith Johnstone in Calgary Alberta at the end of July. Keith Johnstone is a master of improvisation and one of the top teachers I have ever worked with in any subject. The course was engaging, interesting, informative, practical, and trans-formative. I have yet to sort out all of the lessons that I have taken away from the 10 days that apply to employee engagement but there are many.

Click here to read a personal/professional journal of my thoughts during the course.

Here are a few of the immediate things I took away and will work at integrating.

What comes next? To be able to ask the question of ourselves and others: What comes next? If you do something to change the relationship with employees, what comes next? If you start to pay closer attention - what comes next? If you downsize about 15% of your staff - what comes next? We learned during the course to work at making what comes next positive for the other person while also making space for them to give a positive no.

Be average. So often we try so hard that we get in our own way. Don’t be oblivious to the obvious.

Have fun and show people that you are enjoying yourself. Make your eyes big and let people see your teeth. You don’t have to take a FISH! course or be false but if you are not engaged, how can you expect anyone else to be engaged with you. Let the people at work know that you are happy to work with them.

Be willing and able and ready to fail. Try things and see how they work. You learn from failure so don’t avert your eyes - see what occurs during and after failure and use that to learn.

Are you growing or are you fixed? Is you mind set on growth or is it fixed? Keith did not talk about Carol Dweck’s work but I often thought about it during the course. Click here to see a great one page PDF handout contrasting the fixed versus growth mindset. I believe the growth mindset greatly contributes to more engagement in our work.

Age does not disengage. Keith is 75 years old and often taught 6 hours a day. I have fully learned that age does not disengage! As I reflect more on what I learned I will offer some more insights and actions that can foster engagement at work.

Service is no longer good enough. Hostmanship has raised the level of how we approach work to a new level of caring, involvement, pride, profit, and engagement. Are you ready to engage in hostmanship or are you so complacent that you will be left behind?

Hostmanship is the art of making people feel welcome. The concept is outlined in a short book by Jan Gunnarsson and Olle Blohm.hostmanship website:

Liz outlined the following 6 signs or failures:

1. The talent chief is a half-chief.
2. HR is a finance function.
3. Recruitment is a black hole.
4. HR is a cost reduction unit.
5. You’ve outsourced the most critical people functions.
6. Org development and HR aren’t one.

Click here to comment. Read Liz’s powerful article and return here to write a comment about any other signs you see of employee engagement lip service.

The second practice in Fromm’s The Art of Loving is concentration. I am drawn to the focused archer on the cover of Lisa Haneberg’s new book, Focus Like A Laser Beam. Thank you Lisa for giving me permission to use this wonderful cover.

To lead is to lose sight of oneself as we unite with our people and our target.

Fromm encourages leaders to practice meditating to increase their concentration or mindfulness. The following quote from Fromm reminds me of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s current work on mindfulness: one must learn to be concentrated in everything one does…the activity at this very moment must be the only thing that matters… things assume a new dimension of reality, because they have one’s full attention.

The archer has so much concentration that she has become one with the target. The cover of the book reminded me of Eugene Herrigel’s 1953 classic on Zen and the Art of Archery.

To develop concentration Fromm maintained that a leader needs to be comfortable being alone without distractions. Fromm’s book was written 50 years ago and our distractions have increased exponentially with technological time savers transforming into technological intruders breaking into our nanosecond span of concentration.

Concentrate on these 8 leadership questions:

1. As a leader where is your focus?

2. Are you able to concentrate on this article or are you already thinking of linking away?

3. When is the last time you “retreated” from leadership to step back, reflect, and gain a sharper focus?

4. In a sentence can you state your organizational target with vision and accuracy?

5. Do you fully engage with each person you lead to create a high-quality interaction that energizes both of you and demonstrates active concentration on the person in front of you at this very moment?

6. Are you easily distracted by tasks that interfere with your central purpose in leadership?

7. Do you find yourself in two places at once as your head is bowed and you become a “thumbody” typing out messages on your blackberry - disconnected from what is going on right in front of you?

8. Are you comfortable being alone without distractions and can you fully give yourself to the art of leadership as your concentration fuses you with your target and followers.

Here are 2 sources to enhance your concentration:

Read Mike Stock’s brief sports psychology piece on The nature of concentration. What can we as leaders learn about concentration from elite athletes and their practice of sports psychology?

Tune into Lisa Haneberg’s webcast on focus and read her book, Focus Like a Laser Beam. Practice Lisa’s invitations to excite and energize, tune your dialogue, and zoom in.

Alan Watts wrote a line years ago that has always stuck in my consciousness: If you make where you are going more important than where you are, there may be no point in going.

May the force of concentration be with you…here and in the next moment of your work.

If you have not joined already you are missing out on the leading eclectic resource on employee engagement. We have over 100 forums, members from around the world, special groups ranging from manager tools to social media and engagement. We have a list of employee engagement feeds and a free e-book with over 300 A to Z employee engagement tidbits.

Join us as we grow stronger together to make a very significant contribution to employee engagement.

Click here to view and join our employee engagement network.

Click here if the video does not load in this post.

In addition I encourage you to read his book or visit his website.

Click here for a free to get some free tips and tools from his site.

Note: I have update to the latest version of Word Press Let Me know if you are having any problems viewing the video or using the site. Thank you.

Watch this hilarious 3 and 1/2 minute video of Dick Van Dyke on slapstick.

Click here if the video does not open in this post.

by David Zinger

What do we need to remove or take out to foster more employee engagement in our organizations? If you have done this already, I would especially love to read your answer and you can click on the comment link right under the title of this post and let me know what you have done. Of course, I would also love to hear what you think should be done even if it has not been done yet.

Here is a partial list from my perspective.

Fear. We need to remove fear as much as possible. Fear of each other and fear of the leadership. Fear of not measuring up. Fear of creativity. Fear of engagement. Fear of failure and its subtle twin - fear of success.

Isolation. We need to remove isolation. Isolation from each other. Isolation from customers. Isolation from play at work.

Meaninglessness. We need to remove meaningless work.

Blind focus on results. We need to remove a focus on results at the cost of relationship.

Simple solutions. We need to overcome the idea that there is a magic elixir or a simple solution to employee engagement.

Blame. We need to remove blame when things go wrong. We need to stop blaming employees if they are not engaged. Each person is responsible but we are all accountable for employee engagement.

This list must continue and I need your help.

What else do we need to remove to create more engagement? Please comment.

Click here if the video does not  open in this window.

There is a very engaging employee engagement conference in Chicago on July 31 to August 1. Michael Lee Stallard, will be providing a keynote address and his book for all participants during lunch on the second day. Click here for more information and if you enter the following code iee2for1dz - two participants can register for the price of one.

by David Zinger

Leigh Branham with the cooperation of the Saratoga Institute wrote The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave. 

This book is based on research of over 19,000 employees. the book is almost 3 years old but I believe many of the reasons employees leave still seem to be “hidden” from many organizations and leaders.

I appreciated the 13 step engagement-to-departure process from start the job with enthusiasm to quit without a job, or stay and disengage.

Leigh has written a very informative and helpful book that is very important is your are involved in employee retention. Included in the book is 54 item checklist of employer-of-choice engagement practices.

I strong encourage you to purchase the book and learn more about these 7 reasons employees leave:

1. The job or workplace was not as expected.
2. There was a mismatch between job and person
3. There was too little coaching and feedback
4. There were too few growth and advancement opportunities.
5. Employees feel devalued and unrecognized
6. Employees are stressed from overwork and work-life imbalance.
7. A loss of trust and confidence in senior leaders.

This book is a classic book in the library of anyone involved in employee engagement.

Thank you for this post. Reading Peter Drucker’s “Managing Oneself” and his biography “Adventures of Bystander” had a profound effect on me. I wrote a tribute to him following his death. Here’s the link:
http://www.epluribuspartners.com/pages/articles/DruckerRemembered.pdf

Michael stated that Drucker’s work forever changed how he looked at organizations and the responsibilities of leadership. I encourage you to read all of this 2 page article. Michael, using Peter Drucker’s biography stated:

the theme underlying all of his writings was a belief in protecting the diversity of individuals from the tendency of those in power to force uniformity, conformity, and centralization…

I love this inventory as there is not charge to complete it and the strengths are general enough that you can use them in many situations. I hope this article encourage you to:

• take the inventory yourself,
• get to know your strengths,
• use your strengths daily,
• and leverage your strengths in the service of others.

Creativity is my third signature strength. The VIA Signature Strength inventory defines creativity as thinking of novel and productive ways to conceptualize and do things. Related terms for creativity include originality and ingenuity.

I have always loved the visual example of ambiguity contained in the Necker cube shown above. The cube keeps shifting foreground and background. I believe that creativity is making quick shifts from one way of seeing situations or performing to a new way of seeing or performing.

I am tired of the hackneyed injunction to think outside of the box. Abundant creative thinking can occur thinking inside “the box” or context we inhabit with others. For example, can you shift your perspective in problems from your own concerns as a leader to empathy for the people you lead? Can we find ways to make new sense out of a tough event? I often gain perspective during a tough experience by fast-forwarding and thinking this will make a good story in the future. I find it helpful to to take a distant view of close things and a close view of distant things.

Click hereto see a more elaborate visual explanation and demonstration of the Necker cube.In 1964 Arthur Koestler wrote The Act of Creation and coined the term bisociation. Bisociation means the ability to bring two things together to create something new. I believe it is vital and important to pay attention to our frequently overlooked acts of bisociation-creation. Creativity is often as simple as joining two things together to create a new synergy.

For example, I think it is important in career development to do what you love. Sometimes this seems quite difficult when you are “stuck” in a job. Regardless of your work, I think you can bring what you love to what you do. If you love flying yet work in a job that is not taking off you can bring your love of flying to your work.You might not be able to taxi a Cessna in the office but you can develop work checklists, conduct practice simulations, avoid incipient spins of downward spiraling relationships, or navigate into a new career destination. I think transfer of learning is not always trying to make the learning the same as performance but looking at how you bring different ideas, concepts, and practices into each performance.

Here are 3 ways I leverage the signature strength of creativity and contribute to my authentic happiness.

Although humor is my number one signature strength creativity is the engine that drives most of my humor and playfulness. I create humor in my other blog. Even when I am linking to another amusing site or story I like to add my own creative input.

I teach numerous courses and workshops. While I always keep the goals in mind, I spontaneously create new tools and methods as the workshop progresses. I love to find creative way of working with material to keep it fresh for me and unique for my participants. Some of the best PowerPoint slides I have ever used were created as the presentation unfolded not something prepared in advance of the presentation.

I work for many different organizations each year. What I learn in one context may be helpful in a new context. I love to cross-pollinate something I learned with police officers on Monday into my work with call center managers on Thursday.

I appreciate the creative and fresh approach of children. For example, yesterday we were out for brunch with 7 adults and the 10 year old girl from next door came along with her mother. My wife was talking about a special meal we were planning and the 10 year old from next door asked if she could come too. My wife, not wanting to disappoint the girl, responded with the adult euphemism for no. ” We’ll see,” my wife said. The little girl, not to be denied, beamed at my wife and proudly declared, “THAT’S CLOSE TO A YES.”

What a creative negotiation response to “we’ll see.” I guarantee the next time I work on conflict management or negotiation skills with leaders they will hear that story, be encouraged to move to yes, and no doubt my wife and I will see that 10 year old girl at our house for supper.

What about your third signature strength?

What is it and how do you live it?

Don’t wait by saying “We’ll see.” Examine your strength today and live it the rest of your life.

Bisociate your strengths with your life to enhance your happiness. Draw upon the strengths of others you lead to create new and fulfilling synergies of performance.

Have you ever engaged this fully in your work - so much so that the work is transformed by you and you are transformed by the work?

My thanks to Erik van der Liet for bringing this piece to my attention.

Enjoy the article.

Posted November 11, 2005

Peter Drucker died today. I will miss his thinking and viewpoints. I have been in a conundrum on how to start this new blog on leadership. I knew my central focus was on strength-based leadership and the importance of caring and love in leadership. Since Peter Drucker is no longer alive to offer his insights and actions I would like to dedicate this site to him.

Peter wrote a very important article on “Managing Oneself.” in the Harvard Business Review March-April. 1999: 65-70. The essence of managing oneself was to know our strengths and to fully develop a strength-based leadership approach. Here is a short outline of the article from the Harvard Business Review site (you can also order a reprint of the article at this site):

Peter Drucker tells us in this seminal article first published in 1999, it means we have to learn to develop ourselves. We have to place ourselves where we can make the greatest contribution to our organizations and communities. And we have to stay mentally alert and engaged during a 50-year working life, which means knowing how and when to change the work we do.

It may seem obvious that people achieve results by doing what they are good at and by working in ways that fit their abilities. But, Drucker says, very few people actually know–let alone take advantage of–their fundamental strengths.

He challenges each of us to ask ourselves: What are my strengths? How do I perform? What are my values? Where do I belong? What should my contribution be? Don’t try to change yourself, Drucker cautions. Instead, concentrate on improving the skills you have and accepting assignments that are tailored to your individual way of working. If you do that, you can transform yourself from an ordinary worker into an outstanding performer.

Today’s successful careers are not planned out in advance. They develop when people are prepared for opportunities because they have asked themselves those questions and rigorously assessed their unique characteristics. This article challenges readers to take responsibility for managing their futures, both in and out of the office.

There are many sources to understand our strengths from Martin Seligman’s work on authentic happiness and the VIA signature strength inventory to the work of Gallup on their Strength Finder. This blog will help you to understand, foster, and develop a strength based approach to leadership.

Peter Drucker, as one of the major contributors to this approach to leadership, your legacy will not be forgotten.

Postscript: I don’t think Peter has been forgotten but I do think we need to do more to have his focus on strengths live on and be strengthened both in leadership and the workplace.

Here is a brief except from the TED organization on the power of ideas:

There is no greater force for changing the world than a powerful idea. Consider:

• An idea can be created out of nothing except an inspired imagination.
• An idea weighs nothing.
• It can be transferred across the world at the speed of light for virtually zero cost.
• And yet an idea, when received by a prepared mind, can have extraordinary impact.
• It can reshape that mind’s view of the world.
• It can dramatically alter the behavior of the mind’s owner.
• It can cause the mind to pass on the idea to others.

Are you creating weightless ideas

at no cost

that can have an extraordinary impact

to reshape minds and

dramatically alter behaviour

while spreading like a virus?

What ideas are you developing for your own engagement and employee engagement within your organization?

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Click here to view the latest 28-slide presentation of  the employee engagement ABC’s.

 There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good.  ~Edwin Denby

Nobody cares if you can’t dance well.  Just get up and dance.  ~Dave Barry

Watch the dance then engage in your own dance. It can even be an internal dance but dance none the less.

Here is a 4 minute video of Matt dancing around the world with his friends. Enjoy your weekend.

You can dance anywhere, even if only in your heart.  ~Author Unknown

Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another.  ~Author Unknown

Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain.  ~Author Unknown

Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds.  A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.  ~William James