Tom Fox is the Vice President for Leadership and Innovation at the Partnership for Public Service and a columnist for the Washington Post. He told Chris Dorobek on the DorobekINSIDER program his ten simple tips for employee engagement.
Tom Fox talks Engagement with Chris Dorobek by cdorobek
· Drop by employee meetings. To help better understand how your team is accomplishing the agency’s mission, consider stopping by group meetings. Ask participants what they are discussing and offer any insights that you may have. Two minutes of comments from you may save weeks of discussion and false starts. And by observing how your employees interact, you may be able to identify future leaders.
· Listen to your employees. As a federal manager, consider holding listening sessions with your employees on a regular basis. This will give you valuable insights into their perspective. Following these sessions, share with your team the issues or behaviors that you will personally seek to improve upon.
· Let employees know you. A key to being a successful leader is transparency. Try giving employees access to your calendar and sending out weekly updates to share results about your recent efforts and your planned areas of focus. These updates will help give your team a chance to see your vision and how their work plays a role.
· Celebrate the Oath of Office. One of the most compelling differentiators of working for the federal government is that all civil servants take the same oath of office as the president of the United States. As a federal manager, take time to celebrate the oath by highlighting the importance of civil service and inviting co-workers to witness each new hire’s entry into the public service.
· Report the news. Federal employees are often frustrated when they learn from the media what is going on in their agency. When they hear news (both good and bad) directly from you, they will feel engaged and want be a part of a collective solution.
· Put on the pedometer and “walk the halls.” The simplest way to learn what is going on in your agency and build relationships with your employees is to walk the halls, greet your team, and ask how things are going. Dropping by staff functions will also allow you to get to know your employees as individuals and for them to learn to know you.
· Let’s do coffee. As a federal manager, you can create a lasting impression with you team by inviting them to join you for lunch or coffee as a reward for a successful project. Many employees find these experiences meaningful because they rarely have access to senior leaders, especially in such an informal setting.
· Get outside of the Beltway. What happens in Washington should not stay in Washington. When you travel, take time to meet with your regional and field employees. Taking this extra step will have an exponential effect in improving your communication with them.
· Conduct “stay” interviews. It is more important than ever for federal agencies to keep their top employees. Consider conducting regular interviews with your team members to better learn about what they do, their goals and any barriers to success. By talking with employees individually, you may be able to remedy issues before they become serious points and help to improve retention of your staff.
· Turn your employees into your consultants. Federal agencies face difficult tasks, and many times the most practical, cost-effective solutions can be found within your own staff. When faced with a problem, give your employees the freedom to think creatively and the resources to implement their solutions.
Did he miss any? What tips would you add to engage employees?