I was at a social event with my next door neighbor, Tico Cornejo. Tico owns The Winehouse in Winnipeg. He shared a story about when he was younger one of his bosses wanted him to work overtime. Tico had to go to the doctor late in the day and his boss wanted Tico to return to work for some overtime. Rather than demanding overtime or making an expectation of it his boss said, “we would love to have you here after your appointment.” Tico wrote me after our conversation and added: “over and above the feeling of being needed, the “we” made it a “team effort” not just a personal request.” It is powerful and engaging to know that your boss and your workplace needs you.
Tico also talked about his daughter’s job and how much she enjoyed her work and how engaged she found her work. In talking about her engagement, Tico boldly stated, “It is so powerful to know you are needed!” In this case his daughter was needed by all the clients she worked with.
We can be needed by our boss, by our clients and customers, and by our organization. Do you know you are needed at your work? If you are a manager, do you fully let your staff know how much you need them?
We can get both convoluted and complicated with the strategies we concoct for organizations to improve employee engagement. Perhaps we are just making it all too damn complicated. Let’s not lose sight of Tico’s dictum: Ensure employees know they are needed.
David Zinger is a global employee engagement expert who loves learning about engagement from someone right next door. David is on Google+
Hi David, you quoted a nice example of employee engagement, definitely if the management show interest their employees and give value how they are important, really it works, engagement itself a pretty deep accept of the management that can’t be neglect. Employee engagement increases the work productivity drive attention to the goals.
Thank you for share your story
David,
Thanks for sharing the story; it reminds me of a personal favorite on leading employees to feel needed, in support of a greater vision…
When JFK was touring the a NASA facility, he came upon a janitor and asked, “Sir, what is it that you do here?”
The janitor replied, “Mr. President, I’m helping to put a man on the moon.”
To your point, a leader’s job is to create a clear vision to which everyone can feel connected – and the managers job to connect those dots for each and every employee.
Thanks again for the story, David.
Jim Watson
Portland, Maine
http://www.throughtheeyesofthecustomer.com
Thanks for the comment Jim. I really liked how you tied being needed into the results of the organization and the role of the individual. Good story choice. David
Thanks Grace.All the best on all your work. Comments like yours, ARE NEEDED!