The dude was sleeping… right there in the front row of my keynote speech!
After over 20 years of professional speaking and 1000s of programs, I’ve never seen someone pull a full-on nap during one of my talks—especially in the front row!
My first reaction was to call for a bucket of cold water. For fun, I’d have the audience count down and then I’d dump it on his head. Luckily, I was talked out of that idea.
After a few more unfortunate minutes of brainstorming ways to punish him, I realized that I was doing it all wrong. I was blaming him, when in reality, I was the one who needed to be checked.
In Dance Floor Theory, we talk about Neutrals and 1s as being the least engaged on the Engagement Pyramid in terms of contribution and competency. But what if their disengagement isn’t a reflection of their capabilities or attitudes? What if it’s a reflection of your leadership?
When engagement is low, leaders tend to blame their people. What if the problem isn’t with your team, but with your approach as a leader?
According to Gallup research, managers account for at least 70% of the variance in employee engagement levels. This staggering statistic confirms what many of us suspect but often avoid acknowledging: leadership impact on engagement is enormous.
The uncomfortable truth is that blaming your team for lack of engagement is both easy and ineffective. The harder, but infinitely more productive, path is to examine how your leadership might be contributing to the problem.
The uncomfortable truth is that blaming your team for lack of engagement is both easy and ineffective. The harder, but infinitely more productive, path is to examine how your leadership might be contributing to the problem.
Turns out my front row sleeper wasn’t the only disengaged audience member—there were several. It wasn’t that they were poor audience members. It was me. I turned the heat up too high in the room. I kept the lights lower, and I removed some of the more interactive parts of my speech due to time constraints. With this kind of setup, I might as well have handed out warm milk and cookies and sung them a lullaby. It wasn’t them, it was me.
Simon Sinek addresses the issue with leaders blaming their people beautifully in his book “Start with Why,” where he distinguishes between giving people something to work on versus something to work towards. When leaders focus only on tasks and processes (the what and how) without connecting them to purpose (the why), disengagement is almost inevitable.
“People don’t buy WHAT you do; they buy WHY you do it,” writes Sinek. In a workplace context, this translates to: “People don’t commit to WHAT they’re doing; they commit to WHY they’re doing it.”
If your team members are simply completing tasks without understanding how their work contributes to a larger mission, you’ve given them something to work on, not something to work towards. And that’s a recipe for disengagement.
So what can you do as a leader to take ownership of engagement issues?
Start with Why: Before you assign a task or project, explain the bigger picture. How does this contribute to the team’s goals? How does it impact the organization’s mission? How does it make a difference in the world? When people understand the “why” behind their work, they’re more likely to be engaged and motivated.
Connect to Values: Everyone has values that drive their decisions and actions. Find out what your team members care about and connect their work to those values. For example, if someone values creativity, give them opportunities to brainstorm new ideas. If someone values helping others, show them how their work contributes to the greater good.
Be the Spatula: A true Level 5 Leader knows it’s their job to do the hard work of engaging the disengaged and create a Culture of Connection™. When people feel connected to their team and the organization, they’re more likely to be engaged in their work.
Look for the Ryans: Remember, everyone has potential. Sometimes, all it takes is a little encouragement and support to help someone discover their passion and purpose. Be on the lookout for those hidden gems, the “Ryans” who are just waiting for the right opportunity to shine.
The next time you find yourself frustrated with a disengaged team, resist the urge to blame them. Instead, look in the mirror and ask yourself: “What can I do differently as a leader to foster greater connection, clarity, and purpose?”
Because the truth is, engagement isn’t just something that happens from the bottom up, it’s cultivated from the top down, through leaders who have the courage to take ownership of the culture they’re creating.
What will you do today to take responsibility for your team’s level of engagement?
