Dene Rossouw and Tracey Wimperly

We all know the signs of the disgruntled employee: peevish, uninterested, disruptive. Their unhappiness usually has an unfortunate ripple effect, as these people are often vocal in their complaints and recruit others – by accident and design – to their pity parties. These individuals likely didn’t start off in their jobs as malcontents; over time, however, they slipped into this negativity and it festered.

On the flip side are engaged employees. These individuals are productive, energized and positive. According to Gallup, these are the people who go beyond their basic job expectations, drive innovation and contribute to higher retention, safety and productivity. Psychologically and emotionally committed to their work, they are the heartbeat of a great place to work, living the organization’s values and performing at the highest levels.

Given the choice, a company’s leaders would unanimously opt for engaged employees to significantly increase its chances of thriving in a competitive marketplace.

Gallons of ink have been spilled on the rich topic of employee engagement, so briefly, we’ll touch on a key contributor to an engaged workplace.

A comprehensive 2007 Conference Board study on employee engagement revealed “the direct relationship with one’s manager is the strongest of all [engagement] drivers.” In other words, a manager’s ‘soft skills’ – how well they communicate with their teams and demonstrate respect through words and actions – is the primary indicator of a healthy, engaged workforce.

All of the research on employee attitudes and expectations shows that when it comes to job information and performance feedback, managers are always the preferred communication source for their people. When an employee is clear on the expectations of their job, knows how they fit in and feels valued for their contributions, they are much more likely to be productive, embrace purposeful performance at work and be more fully engaged. Further, it’s the manager’s role, according to Geert Hofstede’s Dimensions, to close the ‘power distance’ or ‘shorten the line of sight’ between organizational goals and the employee’s job.

Managers spend between 70 – 80 per cent of their time communicating in one way or another, so how can the quality and effectiveness of the conversations be improved? William Isaacs, author of Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together, says, “Dialogue…. is a conversation with a centre, not sides. It is a way of taking the energy of our differences and channeling it toward something that has never been created before.” Managers must proactively lean into – not away – from every conversation – including the tough ones. When employees feel power is distributed equally, they feel safe to engage in learning conversations with managers and peers.

Eliminating the sides is critical for great work relationships built on trust. It sanitizes workplace toxicity and like oxygen for the soul, creates the life spark for effective dialogue.

Authentic conversations are fundamental to creating and sustaining great relationships at work but what seems so simple can be difficult to do consistently. Zaffron and Logan, co-authors of The three laws of performance, contend that an organization is its network of conversations. We can thus deduce that an organization is only as healthy as its conversations and that these authentic conversations are the critical link to creating and sustaining an engaged workforce.

The key to engagement and better outcomes is authentic conversations which invite authentic relationships. Leaders who are clear about the results they want and who seamlessly give and receive feedback with care and candour sound a different drum and more often than not, clients and colleagues respond in wonderful and unexpected ways.

Dene Rossouw is a leadership engagement specialist and certified coach. He has many years of experience helping leaders engage with their teams, peers and customers and get amazing outcomes with authentic conversations.