Are you truly a committed and mobilizing leader?

by | Nov 27, 2024

Have you ever wondered if you have one mobilizing and committed leader or even several in your company?

How many of your employees do you think are actually engaged at work? When asking this question to the audience of my conference on the subject as part of the SME Strategies 2016 event, most participants estimated between 40% and 60%.

According to Gallup, that’s actually 33% of your employees who are engaged at work. In fact, it’s one in three employees. And the others? 50% are disengaged, 17% are counterproductive.

Summarize:
      • Engaged 33%: You can count on 1 in 3 people in your company without question.
      • Disengaged 50%: These are the ones who “make time”, they do what they have to do, they don’t cause any problems. You hardly notice them.
      • Counterproductive 17%: These are so disengaged that they cause harm to your business.

Here’s what to do to be a more engaged leader (2 elements) and how to be a more engaging leader (4 steps).

At the conference, I was telling the story of when I went from project manager to director. Managing managers who manage managers requires a completely different posture… that I thought I had, and in fact I didn’t. In my opinion, what is important for all managers is the intention. Thus, I had the firm and real intention of being a committed and mobilizing leader. I was just doing it wrong.

So leader, don’t be uncomfortable if you recognize yourself in the examples below. If you are reading this post, it is because you have the subject at heart. So, first of all, BRAVO!

What is a mobilizing and engaged leader?

First of all, you know the generation that is said to be “impossible to mobilize”? Well, here in Quebec, in 2012, she mobilized for students’ rights. Whether you are for or against, leaders have succeeded in an extreme way in mobilizing young people for about 7 months. These students have suffered impacts on their personal and professional lives.

      • People mobilize when they believe in a leader’s cause.
      • There is no mobilization without a leader.
      • There is no leader without a cause.

 

What can you do to be more engaged in your leadership role?

First, we all have triggers to be a more engaged leader who wants to mobilize more. For my part, it was a departure for maternity leave. I had always delivered the expected results, but I found myself in a position where I wanted the same results, without being there.

If you are looking for a successor, this is for you.

You who want a promotion, and you feel that it will be impossible because you are an expert in your field, this is for you.

Here are the two things I did to be a more mobilizing and engaged leader.

    1. Mieux se connaître
    2. Getting to know those around us better

The things I suggest you explore are:

    • Values
    • The forces
    • Interest
    • Motivations
    • communication style

In concrete terms, I did some introspection to get to know myself better. First, I used validated psychometric tests, I read books, I was coached, I asked questions to those around me. Then, I built a simple mini questionnaire to help me get to know all the people on my team better. In this way, I discovered unsuspected interests, I involved new people in projects.

Above all, I created a human-to-human relationship with my team.

What does this mean? We all have values, strengths, interests, motivations and a style that is unique to us and deserves to be heard and known. Bring the work back to the human dimension and you’re in the right direction.

 

What can you do to be more mobilized towards your team?

The leverage you have is on the 50% of disengaged people (Not bad, right?). Based on this fact, I propose 4 steps to be more mobilizing:

Step #1: The Mobilizing and Committed Leader Cause

First, clearly define the cause that is dear to you.

  • What makes you do what you do?
  • What is the spark that created the company or the ambition of your role?
  • What do you want to be remembered when you leave this role?

A well-articulated cause is easily transformed into expected behaviors.

That is to say, the people around you know what to do and know your expectations, concretely. So, they know what actions to take to support you in your cause.

Step #2: Communication from the mobilizing and committed leader

Don’t communicate for yourself, but for those who need to understand. I’m using the funnel image (again) here.

Essentially, communicate your mental journey and not just the target. Otherwise, people have a hard time understanding and don’t follow you.

For example, if I tell you: “Come on everyone, let’s get out of the room now!”. According to statistics, 33% will go out, 50% will do it if it matches their job description, otherwise they will grumble, 17% won’t and will try to convince others not to go out.

Now, if I tell you: “There’s a fire, the fire brigade is called, get out now!” I’m willing to bet that 100% of people will go out without grumbling.

Here’s what I mean by explaining your mental journey. For more details on communication, read this article.

Finally, communicate regularly. All opportunities are good. Communicate every 4 to 8 weeks to remind everyone of your cause.

Step #3: Empowerment of the mobilizing and committed leader

There is a paradox between defining roles and responsibilities and accountability.

It’s a fact that the more specific the roles and responsibilities, the less accountability you have. At the same time, most people would like to have clearer roles and responsibilities, wouldn’t they?

The key? Give clear roles and responsibilities AND with leeway.

Also, leave the space. Let people take their place and you come up with ideas. This is more difficult than it sounds. Leaders who are more directive will have difficulty slowing down their pace, while leaders who are more of a consensus type will have difficulty defining roles.

One thing is certain, you are the leader, you can define clear roles that give enough space.

For example, have you noticed that if you transfer your goldfish to a larger bowl, it will get bigger. He will take up all his space?

It’s the same with people. They need a demarcated, clear area, and then they will flourish as long as they have space.

Step #4: Recognition of the mobilizing and committed leader

This is your easiest and most effective tool.

Monetary and material recognition have no effect on commitment and mobilization.

They are necessary, for other reasons.

In addition, here are ideas for other types of recognition, which are rather felt, which come from the heart rather than from the head and numbers.

  • Tickets to a sports match
  • Coffee
  • Lunch
  • Special attention (Congratulations, you’ve been part of our team for 2 years!)

If you’re interested in the topic, read how to increase productivity, at a low cost.

Recognize in proportion to the effort, this will increase your credibility.

The classic mistake is to congratulate a team that has produced bad results or screwed up on a project. You do it so as not to discourage the team, but tell yourself that 100% of people don’t like to do a bad job. So, if you want to mobilize them, stop doing that.

Conclusion

In summary, to be a more engaged and mobilizing leader, what can you do?

  • Get to know yourself and the people around you better
  • Define your cause and communicate it in a way that those around you understand it.
  • Leave room for accountability. Be open.
  • Increase the recognition felt.

 

Knowing that you have a potential of one in two people in your company to hire, I leave you with the following questions:

How much does it cost you today not to use the full potential you have in your organization?

How much of your 50% could you mobilize?

 

Also on LinkedIn.