Employee Engagement Zingers

Shannon Polly conducted and posted an engaging  interview with Kim Cameron on virtuous business practices. This is an insightful interview and made me think of the connections between positive organizational scholarship and employee engagement.

Cameron on energy as a key ingredient in employee engagement —

Energizers are trustworthy, they pay attention, they build and foster confidence in others, they are unselfish, and they can solve problems. Others who are not positive energizers are: selfish, self-aggrandizing, not mindful, and only see obstacles.

Cameron on evidence for positive practices —

There is a lot of compelling evidence across industries, continents, and sectors that positive and virtuous practices pay off. Organizations make more money, are more productive, achieve higher quality, produce higher customer satisfaction, and create higher employee engagement. Moreover, evidence suggests that these relationships are causal. When virtuous practices improve, organizational outcomes improve as well.

Dr. Cameron argues  that we engage with positive and virtuous practices because they are the right thing to do  and if “you express gratitude only in order to get a payoff, then it is a manipulation rather than true gratitude.”

Here are two questions to think about a positive approach to employee engagement:

1. How do you help employees and the organization engage in positive psychology practices such as strengths, energy, and gratitude?
2. Do you hire for positive energy and individual wellbeing?

David Zinger is an expert  global employee engagement speaker and consultant who uses the pyramid of employee engagement to help leaders, managers, and organizations increase engagement.