Engagement – The New metrics of Performance

Engagement is all about Involvement and Commitment

People join business organization for rewarding career and are always on look out for top Jobs

And Business organization offering positions are always on a look out for GOOD Employees, and I am sure all of us will agree that we all are not only GOOD BUT EXCELELENT people to work with. None of us would admit the we are not good. We all love to prefix all possible adjectives to our names, to the extent of believing ourselves to be the SUPERMAN/WOMEN.

The big question that matters is our definition of GOOD that matters i.e. the definition of being good from our own perspective or is it Company’s definition of GOOD that matters i.e. the definition of good from the organization perspective.

SO what exactly is the definition of GOOD from Organizational perspective?

Organizational definition of GOOD EMPLOYEE refers to finding answers to below mentioned which each one us find very honestly as self awareness and assessment is very important for being judged to be GOOD.

First and the foremost criteria for being GOOD is dependability, reliability and accountability

Second criteria for being GOOD is clarity of expression, I call it composure of thought. We must learn to appreciate the value of time, and before speaking should compose our thoughts as to what we are going to communicate, the key to successful expression of thoughts is composure and being precise.

Third criteria for being GOOD refer to our ability to LISTEN carefullyListening is hearing with intention and purpose. Most of the time people are hearing hence we fail to understand the direction, as we tend to run tapes in our head, busy in finding what we have say in response to what is being said.

Fourth criteria for being GOOD is COMPETENCEFifth criteria for being GOOD is our appearance – The LOOKS Sixth criteria for being GOOD is our BODY LANGAUAGE – Postures and Gestures, the nonverbal cuesSeventh criteria for being GOOD is our Etiquettes and mannerismAn eighth criterion for being GOOD is our Knowledge, a blend of Theory and Practical. Our moral and social values

A ninth criterion is importance of career in our life. Is it a time pass or home away from home

And many more

We all have lots to plans to change the world but we don’t want to CHANGE ourselves.

According to me the first step towards CHANGE is the SELF AWARENESS followed by ACCEPTANCE the way we are and NOT what we want to be in life. Forget about CHANGE most of us are not even aware that we all have some serious concerns as far as our career is concerned.

As mentioned Self Acceptance is the first step towards a CHANGE, we need to ACCEPT and UNDERSTAND where we lack and accordingly can improve.

If you focus on RESULT, you will never Change

If you focus on CHANGE, you will get result

It all starts by acknowledging ourselves the way we are and not by pretending what we want to be, at least we can be honest with ourselves.

No Jobs are GOOD or BAD.

Think for a while it is our decision to join a position in any organization by CHOICE and NOT by any COMPULSION. We opted for a particular job or position because we felt that it was good, then after a couple months or may be after a year the same turns out to be so BAD – WHY?

Reasons could be many but some of the common reasons could be as follows:

1. Relationship hiring – you got the job because of the references and relations and not on the basis of your COMPETENCE.

2. Perfect Mismatch of requirement and expectations. Very high expectations3. Weak Communication - extremely poor composure of thoughts cannot express precisely,

Clarity of Expression i.e. Poor LISTENING habits – “Running tapes in head4. Lack of Corporate Exposure – lack of professionalism. Poor Work Life balance

Above all it is the ATTITUDE - the biggest reason that turns most of the GOOD Jobs BAD.

When companies hire, Language and Communication skills are basics...What matters the most Candidate’s ATTITUDE.

I see it be the fight between Aptitude and Attitude.

If we summarize the definition of GOOD EMPLOYEE from organization’s perspective it is the perfect balance of APPTITUDE and ATTITUDE in an employee. Employees can be trained and equipped with skills - APPTITUDE by imparting training. ATTITUDE is what we bring along with us, which only we have to work ourselves to change.

Bad attitudes that aren’t in line with the company culture leads to high employee’s turnover.

People’s levels of APPTITUDE and ATTITUDE can be explained as

1. People LOW in APPTITUDE and LOW in ATTITUDE elicit POOR FIT and are result of RELATIONSHIP HIRING, and for them it is either UP or OUT. For them to remain in the job needs to improve their performance attitude seriously.

2. People LOW in APPTITUDE and HIGH in ATTITUDE elicit TRAIN & DEVELOP are also result of RELATIONSHIP HIRING, and if trained can perform exceptionally well.

3. People with MODERATE APPTITUDE and ATTITUDE elicit INCONSISTENTLY COMPETENT behaviour that needs monitoring and supervision

4. People with MODERATE APPTITUDE and HIGH ATTITUDE elicit CONSISTENTLY COMPETENT behaviour with ability to do the work

5. People with high APPTITUDE and LOW ATTITUDE elicit TALENTED TERROR, capable of doing work, very close minded believing to know everything.

6. People with HIGH APPTITUDE and HIGH ATTITUDE elicit to be STAR PERFORMERHaving the ability to do the work with open- mind, respectful having desire to learn, teach and excel.

GOOD EMPLOYEE that Organizations are keen to hire is representation of perfect assortment of BEHAVIOUR, SKILLS and KNOWLEDGE (Qualities) in any individual – THE PERFECT FIT

DEFINITION of PERFECT FIT

The Right / Perfect fit is all about

1. Reliability, Dependability and Accountability 2. Thinking and Listening abilities3. Sense of job commitment4. Ability to work in Teams5. Honesty, Sincerity and above all being....Skilful

So far we have talked from organization’s perspective, but obviously people do have their own career concerns, and they also have expectations from the organization they work for i.e. REWARDING CAREER.

So we must also define the REWARDING CAREER the way we have defined the GOOD EMPLOYEE

What is the definition of REWADING CAREER for most of US?

First and the foremost according to most of us the REWARDING CAREER is all about JOB STABILITY i.e. Job Security and Handsome Increments

JOB STABILITY is synonymous to JOB SECURITY, HANDSOME INCREMENTS, LESS ACCOUNTABILITY, BALANCED WORKLOAD, And MAXIMUM RECOGNITION followed by GOOD LIFE –WORK balance and NOT the WORK – LIFE balance, GOOD CAREER ENHANCEMENT OPPORTUNITIES etc. etc

However each one has a different definition of JOB SECURITY.

We have high expectation with little realization that stable career paths are DISAPPEARING. Stability is precursor to DEATH

Both Organization and people working for the organization are pursuing their definition of success.

Organization definition of success is reflected by its Goals, Values & Strategy

Individual’s definition of SUCCESS is all about Promotion, Reward, and Recognition & Vacation..

So the definition of SUCCESS VARIES significantly

Every Individual works for their MAXIMUM Satisfaction whereas

Organization is pursuing its definition of MAXIMUM EMPLOYEE Contribution

Both organization and Individuals are perusing their definition of SUCCESS

The Place where Organization and Individual’s aspirations intercept each other definition of SUCCESS is termed as JOB

Organization expects MAXIMUM CONTRIBUTION from their employees and Individual expects

MAXIMUM SATISFACTION

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT is the delivery point of both Maximum Contribution and Maximum satisfaction. Employee engagement has emerged as new performance metrics

Maximum Satisfaction vs Maximum Contribution

1. Minimum Contribution and Minimum Satisfaction elicit Disengagement2. Reasonable Contribution and Maximum Satisfaction elicit Comfort zone 3. Maximum Contribution and Minimum Satisfaction elicit Burnouts4. Maximum Contribution and Maximum Satisfaction elicit Happy Warriors

Employee Engagement is thus emerging as daily priority for Managers, Executives and Individuals

For Individuals engagement means volunteering to work in teams

For Managers engagement means fair allocation and utilization of resources

For Executives engagement means fostering sense of community in the organization

Employee engagement is in a way synonymous to extending HELP!

Helping should be made the organizational norm to foster Engagement from all aspects. When we volunteer to help, we then learn to understand other people’s NEEDS

Engagement is nothing but Collaborative Generosity

It seems simple but extremely difficult as Helpfulness doesn’t arise automatically among people.

People in Social Groups experience conflicting Impulses, as most of the time a potential HELPER is often inclined to COMPETE. Many a times a potential HELP seeker often takes PRIDE in doing alone and a potential HELP SEEKER often DISTRUST the potential HELPER.

Another possible reason could be HESITATION – Norm of Reciprocity and Norm of Incapability

Most of us believe that BEST HELPERS are people with GREATEST EXPERTISE - COMPETENCE

It is a WRONG notion, It is the TRUST, ACCESSIBILITY that Supersedes the COMPETENCE

Full Engagement is a place where Organization and Individual EXPECTATIONS MEET.

The best career allows us to pursue our worthy ASPIRATIONS, using our ASSETS, while navigating the MARKET REALITIES. This is only possible if we all realize our TRUE potential and for that SELF AWARENESS is the key.