The age old question…How do I keep my team engaged?
One of the answers might surprise you.
When control and choice are taken away from your team, they move into learned helplessness, feeling no matter what they do, their effort doesn’t matter.
Even worse, when they not only feel their efforts are in vain but also the entire situation around them is a lost cause, they move into learned hopelessness.
Instead find as many ways as possible where you can give them a voice and a sense of control and power, leaving them highly engaged, empowered as a teammate.
One of the most powerful examples of this is from psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl, who noted that when he was in Auschwitz, another prisoner told him to increase his chance of survival he should do two simple things: shave and stand tall.
When we lack control, our stress spikes. When we have a sense that we can impact our situation, our cortisol response is dampened.
And as leaders this is the goal, to equip our team to tackle their challenges in the midst of stress!
So take some time and identify where you can give your leaders more control and greater decision making power. Let them have a voice.
Don’t let a dysfunctional work environment or dysfunctional team hold your company back. Take our free team assessment or schedule a time to meet!