After hearing me deliver a keynote presentation at a conference this summer, “Amir,” a regional director for a large technical services firm, called for help. The company’s core service is delivered by highly paid technicians with deep expertise and qualifications. Replacing a technician is very difficult and costly.
Amir called me because they had a growing turnover problem. Key technicians were leaving and moving to competitors. The company invested heavily in technical training but had done little leadership development. Engagement surveys over the past few years showed a gradual downward trend.
We discussed the difference between a “bolt-on” employee engagement and leadership training program and a “built-in” process of leadership and culture development. Amir agreed we should start by bringing his regional management team together to “Harness the Power of an Offsite Retreat“.
The two-day retreat resulted in strong agreement and sharp clarity where the management team wanted to strengthen their culture, how to do it, and four Strategic Imperatives to making it happen. Implementation and follow through is now underway.
Having just completed this retreat, I was fascinated to read a recent Client study by Zenger Folkman identifying seven factors that led to a significant increase in employee satisfaction. In “Seven Ways to Increase Employee Satisfaction Without Giving a Raise“, Joe Folkman outlines the key factors:
1. Consistent Values
2. Long Term Focus
3. Local Leadership
4. Continuous Communication
5. Collaboration
6. Opportunities for Development
7. Speed and Agility
These success factors are woven deeply into the Strategic Imperative Teams and implementation plan emerging from the retreat with Amir’s regional management team.
Like deteriorating health, employee disengagement is a gradual process. Boosting employee engagement is a step by step leadership and culture development effort that — when done effectively — elevates organizational health and performance from good to great.
For over three decades, Jim Clemmer’s keynote presentations, workshops, management team retreats, seven bestselling books, articles, and blog have helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. The Clemmer Group is the Canadian strategic partner of Zenger Folkman, an award-winning firm best known for its unique evidence-driven, strengths-based system for developing extraordinary leaders and demonstrating the performance impact they have on organizations.
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