Last week we discussed that one of the many roles in leadership is overseeing a team of people with an eye to each person’s level of engagement; i.e. assessing each person’s commitment to the mission of the team. I pointed out that this becomes more important with time since one person’s lack of full engagement can actually breed a similar attitude of disengagement in other members of the team.
Therefore when disengagement is detected, it will be important to seek to re-enlist the full commitment of such team members in order to keep team momentum from stalling due to the drag that disengagement can cause.
The following ideas maybe useful to spur engagement when doing so becomes necessary:
Connect. Without delay set a time to meet with the person who appears to be drifting in their level of enthusiasm. A personal connection is the first step to understanding what is actually occurring.
Explore. When meeting with the person, where appropriate, check to see if the apparent disengagement is work related or if there are any personal issues that are creating a "drag on the line." The fact is that we are all human. As much as we might try to keep personal matters at home, the reality of our whole life can affect our work-life. It might be timely to express care and concern - and to communicate that as a leader you understand when someone has a challenging season in their personal life.
Coach. Again, appropriate is the key. With that in mind, seek to provide assistance where possible in order to move the individual back into alignment with their prior level of engagement. If the issues are personal, provide appropriate professional referrals for outside assistance - if doing so is welcomed by the recipient. Also, look for clues regarding the need for training, assistance and/or realignment of responsibilities.
Action. When the core issue has been identified, look for action items and create a tangible and specific plan that includes steps of action. Write it down; set time-frames; develop a work-plan with specific agreements regarding steps of action.
Calendar. Set a time to connect again at a specific time to review the above. It may take a series of coaching times to help the person re-engage. It will be important to "stay with it" and verify that the issue(s) that caused the disengagement in the first place have been resolved.
You will likely think of additional ideas - or develop your own action items that best fit your own leadership style. Let us know if something comes to mind. The goal is to seek to keep every member of the team fully engaged and to lead where necessary when commitment sags ... before it creates an adverse impact on the positive momentum of the team.