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were in the brainstorming stage and it was making it harder for them to pri- oritize. They didn't know if or when we were going to implement them or how it would affect their job." Now, ideas are fully vetted before they're shared with the team. "I don't share until I know it's something we're going to do," says Nicholson. "As a result, their performance is better on the proj- ect because I'm more specifi c and we're wasting less time on things that we were excited about but didn't pan out." Connecting the Dots Longtime operations exec Tim Brown had read a few books on the servant leadership model and liked the idea of empowering the front line with the autonomy to do what's best for the cus- tomer. So when he learned that a ser- vant-fi rst philosophy was at the core of The Boelter Companies' culture, it made his future employer even more appeal- ing. "It takes that traditional pyramid and fl ips it upside down," says Brown, who served in operations for a pharmaceuti- cal company prior to making the move to Boelter. "Doesn't matter what your position is in the company," he says. "Our leadership is very visible and available and I have a great support system in the event that I need it. Otherwise, I'm off continued on page 12 2 Reasons Employee Engagement is So Hard– And What to Do About It By Karin Hurt, CEO of Let's Grow Leaders If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I know I have. You've recognized, mentored, career pathed, taken some bullets, helped them win… and yet, it somehow wasn't enough for everyone. A few folks still feel frustration and are not afraid to make that perfectly clear on your "stupid survey that no one ever does anything with." The truth of the matter is that what makes employee engagement so hard is that it's not just about what's happening today. Your employees are impacted by all their yesterdays, and their view of how they will fi t into the future of your organization tomorrow. "Winning Well" managers are translators of the past and broadcasters of the future. Before they motivate, they translate. Winning Well managers know they need to help employees recover from their memory of past experiences: a boss that took credit for their work; an organizational structure change that made their role less meaningful; a shift in strategy that made their project less of a priority. If employees are skeptical that they'll matter in the future, they'll be less likely to go the extra mile today. How to Help Employees Make Sense of the Past Have a private conversation. I actually had one manager who had worked in my organization for three years tell me how intimidated she was around me for a very long time. I was shocked, as I'd never treated her with anything but kindness and respect, and was always working to connect with her at a human level. She confi ded that she'd been burned so many times by other female leaders that she just didn't trust my motives. Her opening up to me allowed me to share some of my personal stories of my career growth and why I believe and act like I do now—based on my mistakes and others in the past. I then explained that all leaders (whether they admit it or not) have similar insecurities and regrets, and that it's much more productive to get to know one another instead of starting from a place of fear or skepticism. After we had that conversation, she became much more secure in her role, took more risks, shared her opinions, and eventually was promoted. Her fear from her past had actually been holding her back from being her best self. Once she realized the past did not defi ne the future, she was able to truly engage and build a better one for herself and the company. Help them understand the context. Often when something negative happens, the employee doesn't have all the context. Start with questions. Do you know WHY they made the decision to close that offi ce? Do you know WHY the project lost funding? Often employees are so caught up in the impact that they may not have truly sought to understand the bigger picture (or someone may not have explained it well). Translators take time to help employees understand the greater context of decisions so they seem less arbitrary. Help them understand what they can control. Nothing creates anxiety more than feeling out of control. Helping employees understand what they can control to be a utility player that adds value when circumstances change (e.g., fi nishing their degree, learning new skills, networking with other departments), all go a long way in helping people feel better about themselves and their future in the company. Help them see the road ahead. The main reason employees don't think strategically is that they aren't given enough information to connect the dots. Help them see the strategic and competitive environment and where the organization is headed. Help them understand how the work they do contributes today and where it fi ts into the future. When holding career discussions, help them develop the skills that will be most important as the company grows and transforms. To feel better about their jobs, employees need support making sense of the past and understanding what's possible in the future. Before you motivate, translate. By Karin Hurt, CEO of Let's Grow Leaders By Karin Hurt, CEO of Let's Grow Leaders If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I know I have. You've recognized, mentored, career pathed, taken some bullets, helped them win… and yet, it somehow wasn't enough for everyone. A few folks still feel frustration and are not afraid The truth of the matter is that what makes employee engagement so hard is that it's not just about The truth of the matter is that what makes employee engagement so hard is that it's not just about what's happening today. Your employees are impacted by all their yesterdays, and their view of how 2 Reasons Employee Engagement is So Hard– 2 Reasons Employee Engagement is So Hard– By Karin Hurt, CEO of Let's Grow Leaders By Karin Hurt, CEO of Let's Grow Leaders If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I know I have. You've recognized, mentored, career pathed, taken some bullets, helped them win… and yet, it somehow wasn't enough for everyone. A few folks still feel frustration and are not afraid to make that perfectly clear on your "stupid survey that no one ever does anything with." By Karin Hurt, CEO of Let's Grow Leaders If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I know I have. You've recognized, mentored, career pathed, taken some bullets, helped them win… and yet, it somehow wasn't enough for everyone. A few folks still feel frustration and are not afraid to make that perfectly clear on your "stupid survey that no one ever does anything with." The truth of the matter is that what makes employee engagement so hard is that it's not just about The truth of the matter is that what makes employee engagement so hard is that it's not just about what's happening today. Your employees are impacted by all their yesterdays, and their view of how 2 Reasons Employee Engagement is So Hard– 2 Reasons Employee Engagement is So Hard– And What to Do About It And What to Do About It If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I know I have. You've recognized, mentored, career pathed, taken some bullets, helped them win… and yet, it somehow wasn't enough for everyone. A few folks still feel frustration and are not afraid to make that perfectly clear on your "stupid survey that no one ever does anything with." If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I know I have. You've recognized, mentored, career pathed, taken some bullets, helped them win… and yet, it somehow wasn't enough for everyone. A few folks still feel frustration and are not afraid to make that perfectly clear on your "stupid survey that no one ever does anything with." The truth of the matter is that what makes employee engagement so hard is that it's not just about The truth of the matter is that what makes employee engagement so hard is that it's not just about what's happening today. Your employees are impacted by all their yesterdays, and their view of how 2 Reasons Employee Engagement is So Hard– 2 Reasons Employee Engagement is So Hard– And What to Do About It And What to Do About It If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I know I have. You've recognized, mentored, career pathed, taken some bullets, helped them win… and yet, it somehow wasn't enough for everyone. A few folks still feel frustration and are not afraid to make that perfectly clear on your "stupid survey that no one ever does anything with." If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know If you've ever been on the receiving end of employee engagement results, you most likely know the "How in the world could they feel THAT WAY after ALL I've done?" head-scratching frustration. I know I have. You've recognized, mentored, career pathed, taken some bullets, helped them win… and yet, it somehow wasn't enough for everyone. A few folks still feel frustration and are not afraid to make that perfectly clear on your "stupid survey that no one ever does anything with." The truth of the matter is that what makes employee engagement so hard is that it's not just about The truth of the matter is that what makes employee engagement so hard is that it's not just about what's happening today. Your employees are impacted by all their yesterdays, and their view of how January/February 2017 11