After enduring the challenges of a COVID-19 dominated 2020, it’s important that leaders at all levels re-engage their employees and prepare them for the inevitable challenges, changes and new opportunities we will all face in the year ahead.
There are two ways that employees can approach and apply themselves in their role at work.
Some see it as basically completing a series of activities and tasks whilst on the job, or just following some else’s orders. These people will do “Only what’s required” and often become distracted and consumed by apathy and boredom.
Others see their work as important and integral to achieving their team and the organisation’s goals and objectives. For them, work takes on an entirely different meaning – they are focused, engaged and willingly give “Their discretionary effort”.
As a leader, you can influence which approach your people take by providing clear direction and sharing the organisation’s vision for the future. Providing clarity around the team’s goals and objectives, and the important role that each team member plays in achieving them, is the first step. Providing clarity about the organisation’ s vision for the future is the second step.
One of the best ways of explaining the importance of this clarity for the future, is to relate the vision to a jigsaw puzzle. A puzzle is a complete picture that is cut into a number of pieces. Imagine each team member as a piece of that puzzle. It’s impossible to see the total picture form just looking at any one piece individually. In fact, it’s even difficult to guess where the piece may fit into the puzzle without being able to see the whole picture. Thus, the importance of clarity
It’s only by being able to see and understand the entire puzzle, that each person is able to realise both, where he or she fits into the total picture, and to fully understand the contribution they make in their role. The clearer the picture of the completed puzzle, the easier it is to put a puzzle together by placing the various pieces in the correct position. The clearer you make this picture for your team or your organisation, the more they will become engaged and enthusiastic about their role. As a result, it becomes easier for each of them to work synergistically with the other team members towards completing that vision or picture.
As governments and organisations across the world strive to come to grips with the new “COVID Norm”, they understand that their leaders must be able to engage and inspire their employees. They must be able to respond and adapt quickly to a fast and changing business environment, communicate what is required and lead their teams successfully through the change process.
Companies can no longer afford to keep managers or supervisors whose job is purely “To watch over workers”. In today’s world, team members must be engaged, trained, enabled and empowered to perform without supervision. It is incumbent on all leaders who want to be successful in 2021 and beyond to provide clarity of the team goals and the organisation’s vision, and in an environment of respect and care for those they lead.
