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Engage Your Employees in 10 Syllables

Written on October 9, 2009 by George Krueger & Mary-Lynn Foster in Management

0-building-blocks Research shows it. We know it.

Engaged employees are more productive. Productive employees help us grow sales faster than costs. Therefore, engaged employees are key to increasing your bottom line.

How’s that for a logic exercise?

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Hear George & Mary-Lynn discuss the four C words on The Bigg Success Show! Click the purple player to listen while you read: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Let’s discuss four words – which all begin with the letter “C” – that will help you engage your employees in ten syllables:

First, a one syllable word: Care
Really and truly care about your employees – not as workers, as people.

Throw the old adage about mixing business and friendship out the door. That’s yesterday’s mindset. For every time it bites you in the butt, there will be many times when it serves you well.

Let your people get to know you. Get to know your people individually, personally and professionally.

We work harder for people we like. We like people who care about us.

So genuinely caring creates a competitive advantage. Isn’t that something? It happens spontaneously, though. It’s not something that can be forced.

Second, a two syllable word: Converse
Talk with your employees. Find out what is going well and what isn’t. Discover what would help them do their jobs better.

We believe in open book management. However we don’t believe that you have to tell all of your employees all the details. Be positively real.

Leaders have more on their plate than ever. Everybody is trying to do more with less. But don’t neglect your people.

Get out from behind your desk a few times a day. Walk around. Spend some time chatting with your people. It’s probably the most productive thing you can do.

Conversation creates concord. Listening is one way to show your people you care. Many people assume the worst. Keeping them informed tames the beast.

Third, a three syllable word: Celebrate!
Our news media thrives on bad news. Do the opposite. Make a bigg deal of good news. Celebrate! Whenever your team does something spectacular, pause and enjoy the moment.

There’s an old management technique called management by exception. Try this instead – manage for exceptional. Highlight people on your team who have done something outstanding.

Share the credit liberally. It’s a rookie mistake to do otherwise. There’s almost nothing you can do to engage your employees that goes as far as a genuine “atta boy” or “atta girl”.

Celebration encourages continuation. It’s fun to play for a winning team. We can’t wait for the next game, for the next opportunity to show what we can do. We look forward to the next victory. So we can celebrate again!

Fourth, a four syllable word: Collaborate
Michael Jordan said it best: “Talent wins games; teamwork wins championships.”

Encourage your people to share their ideas. It will make your life as a leader much easier.

Great leaders make decisions but the best answers often come from their people. Your employees will be more engaged when they see their ideas being adopted. That leads to bigg success!

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Thanks so much for the gift of your time today. Please join us next time when we ask, “Are you a volcano waiting to erupt?” Until then, here’s to your bigg success!

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Engaging Your Employees

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Artificial Dissemination – A Tool for Bigg Success

Written on July 23, 2009 by George Krueger & Mary-Lynn Foster in Personal Growth

spin Today we’ll wrap up our discussion about artificial dissemination. Last time, we talked about three dangers of misstatements and exaggerations.

There’s another side to artificial dissemination. It can also be a tool if used carefully and properly. We’ll look at two ways to do that.

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Hear George & Mary-Lynn discuss today's topic on The Bigg Success Show! Click the purple player to listen while you read: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Honest vs. Kind

Sometimes we face a battle. It’s not a battle between good and evil. It’s a battle between two competing forces for good. Should we be honest? Or should we be kind?

Picture this … your best friend just had a baby. He’s so proud that the buttons on his shirt are popping. He takes you to see the little guy. Now, the little guy is the ugliest baby you’ve ever seen. He’s so ugly you’re not even sure he’s human!

So your friend turns to you and says, “Isn’t he the best looking baby you’ve ever seen?”

Panic sets in. What do you say? Beads of sweat start forming on your forehead. Do you tell the truth? Or should you be nice?

Artificial dissemination can be used as a tool for kindness.

Authentic vs. “Fake it until you make it”

Now we want to talk about telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

That’s another battle which we must fight every day. We often hear that we should be authentic. Yet we also hear people say that you have to “fake it until you make it.”

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george I’m authentic every day … when I first get up. If I wanted to be authentic, I would never shave!

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marylynn
I wouldn’t wear any make-up!

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It is important to be true to yourself. People can spot a fake. But “fake it until you make it” doesn’t necessarily mean being someone you’re not.

Artificial dissemination can be a tool for casting yourself in the best light.

We’ve talked before about the entrepreneurial roller coaster ride. But people like to do business with successful people. When you’re at the bottom of the ride, you don’t have to tell the world. Just confide in a few close friends or trusted advisors and project an image of success to the rest of the world.

The whole world doesn’t have to know the whole truth. In many cases, with most people, part of the truth will suffice just fine! You’re not on the witness stand for crying out loud!

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marylynn I think with social media we sometimes broadcast things about ourselves, not remembering that hundreds or thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of people are going to see it.

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george
You have to manage your reputation just like companies manage their reputations.

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marylynn I remember seeing a tweet from a person I follow. She had just lost her job. I don’t remember what she said, but it was something that would have been better left unsaid.

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george The stories you tell about yourself shouldn’t be fiction. But occasionally, you may think of them as part of a docudrama. You can put a positive spin on things. Sometimes that leads to bigg success!

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Authentic or fake it until you make it. Where do you come down in the debate? Share that with us by leaving a comment below, calling us at 888.455.BIGG (2444) or e-mailing us at bigginfo@biggsuccess.com.

Thanks so much for reading our post today.

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