Unleashing the Power of Authenticity to Drive
Employee Engagement
@TalentAnarchy@JasonLauritsen@JoeGerstandt
#FreakFlag
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Facilitation
1. be open2. get involved
3. be authentic
4. stay in touch
5. use karma
6. invest
1. be open2. get involved
3. be authentic
4. stay in touch
5. use karma
6. invest
au·then·tic[aw-then-tik] adjective1.not false or copied; genuine; 2.having the origin supported by unquestionable evidence; authenticated;
FLY YOUR FREAK FLAGFREAK FLAG• Outlier• Odd ball• Weirdo
• Deviant• Out on a limb• Crazy
A hypothesis
Maybe the reason for low employee
engagement is that there isn’t enough authenticity in the
workplace.
Investigation
2 Questions
1.Do employees feel that the workplace encourages authenticity?
2.Is there a linkage between authenticity and employee engagement?
Details3,630 employees surveyedResponses from 20 states in U.S.Past participants in Best Places to WorkTM SurveyVoluntary participants29 items, 2 open-endedData Gathered Q4 2012
www.QuantumWorkplace.com
Q1: Do employees feel that the workplace encourages
authenticity?
Less than half of employees agreed with the statement "My organization embraces
difference."
53% of employees felt that being authentic at work might have negative consequences.
43% of employees believe that fitting in is an effective strategy for getting ahead at work
Less than 9% of employees disagree that it is important
to fit in at work
39% feel that fitting in is rewarded at work
What is the biggest reason people choose not to be themselves at work?
Conclusion #1Question:
Do employees feel that the workplace encourages authenticity?
Answer:Mixed response.
Employees definitely feel the tension at work between the desire to be more authentic and
the expectation to fit in.
Q2: Is there a linkage between authenticity and employee engagement?
Authenticity accounted for over one third of the variance in engagement scores.
Authenticity
Other Stuff
Breaking it down
1. Encouragement2. Personal Values3. Risk4. Fitting In5. Being Different
If you build it…
Encouragement Items:•People are encouraged to try new things where I work.•My organization values uniqueness in its employees.•My organization encourages people to speak up.•My manager encourages people to be themselves at work.•People are encouraged to be themselves where I work.•My organization embraces difference.•I can be myself at work.•My manager works effectively with all types of people.•Being authentic at work has negative consequences.
Conclusion #2Question 2
Is there a linkage between authenticity and employee engagement?
AnswerYES.
When people feel like their work environment actively encourages them to be themselves and operate in alignment with their values, they are
more engaged.
FREAK FLAGS FREAK FLAGS increase increase
EngagementEngagement
HOW
Orbiting the Giant Hairball, Gordon MacKenzie
•Clear language.•Clear expectations.•Understand authenticity as a process, not a thing.•Support, encourage and reward all parts of the process.
Getting started…
AWARENESS ACCEPTANCE
DARING INTEGRITY
AUTHENTICITY
awareness
awarenessGetting real clarity on who you are and who you wish
to be.
•Create time and space for reflection.•Emphasize importance of knowing yourself.•1:1 conversations about your own journey.•Talk to people about their strengths and weakness, about their values, about how they work best, how they like to be managed.
Encouraging awareness:
accomplishmentadventurechallenge
changecommunityconnectioncreativity
democracydiscoverydiversityequalityfairness
faithfamily
friendshipgenerosity
gentlenessglobal view
goodwillgoodnessgratitudehappinessharmony
healthintegrityjustice
leadershiplove
loyaltymoney
patriotismpeace
personal growthpower
quality of workreliability
resourcefulnessrespect for others
responsivenessself-reliance
service spirituality
statussuccess,tradition
tranquilitytruthunity
What would you do if you
became independently
wealthy?
What gives you joy?
acceptance
acceptance
Coming to terms with who you are, declaring it to the world, and reveling in it.
Encouraging acceptance:
•Facilitate group conversations about individual strengths and weaknesses, how to best work together. •Get people involved in setting their own goals, identifying their own development needs, opportunities.•Proclaiming goals, values, priorities.
Aligning what you do with what you believe.
•Reward expression.•Encourage people to speak up, reward respectful disagreement.•Dress code.•Decorate office / cubicle.•Provide people with opportunities to play different roles, demonstrate different skills / passions.•Accountability partners, support, conflict
Encouraging integrity:
groupthink
groupthink:mode of thinking that happens when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives. Group members try to minimize conflict and reach a consensus decision without critical evaluation of alternative ideas or viewpoints.
RESOURCES
ABILITYPERM
ISSION
AUTHORITY
Inside the Box
daring
daring
Continuing to gather new awareness of
your capabilities through
adventure.
•Job shadowing & exploration.•Individualized development plans.•Different conferences, different roles, use non-profit opportunities.•Put people in over their heads, give them the opportunity to fail and make sure that they learn how to learn from that when it happens.
Encouraging daring:
GET CONNECTEDtalentanarchy.comtwitter.com/TalentAnarchy
JASON [email protected]/jasonlauritsen
JOE [email protected]/joegerstandt