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on ENGAGEMENT by David Guerra

on Engagement

There are various kinds of engagement. People get engaged to one another and call it an engagement. People attack the enemy and that is also called an engagement (as in to engage the enemy). Then social engagements are those black tie affairs. What do they all have in common (yes, all)?

People interacting with each other. Some interact for love, some interact for hate, some interact to put on airs, whatever the reason the engagement usually does not last long. Either they marry, the battle ends, or the band plays the last song of the evening.

Thus to engage means to connect on many levels with others; to be more than just present in the moment. When considering a person engaged, he or she carries one characteristic, whether they admit it or not; they are open-minded. An engaged person has to be open-minded to be fully receptive and understanding of those they engage with. They also expects that same open-mindedness in others. Engagement by the examples I mentioned at the start of this post is a dialogue (of sorts), a two-way interaction.

While one side of the engagement has to take the initiative to get things started it is never fully comes from within. Engagement requires external forces to drive it. Think Newton’s 1st Law: Body is at rest until a force changes that. If a battle is one sided well that’s a good thing (if you are on the winning side) but if in an engagement only one individual wants to marry and the other does not, well that’s creepy and a restraining order may be in order.

Restraining orders notwithstanding, engagement is probably one of the best motivation tool anyone can have to get stuff done. As all parties involved become engaged when each individual or group brings something to the interaction that the other side sees as worthy of engagement. Mutually assured engagement is what completes the interaction and elevates it to a higher level.

This motivation to elevate the engagement and the ability to maintain the engagement until its inevitable conclusion. Motivation to engage is critical for all concerned. Maintaining that motivation is critical to any current and future engagements. The motivation that comes from knowing that at any moment something good is going to happen is the prime factor to motivate most people. It can be catalyst to inspire others to go further and deeper create and achieve others goals when it comes to engaging with others.

The start of the new year is a great time to launch new engagement initiatives. For a long time, people consider the new year as the best time of the year for change as it brings a clean slate to the calendar. The start of the new year is an opportunity to make things better than last year. Yet, engagement does not come without its own issues.

There always have been and always will be barriers to engagement. Time, space, language are such barriers but they are also barriers to just about anything else. When it comes to engagement, the barrier that most will cringe over is the topic or reason of the engagement. When the topic or reason is polarizing to all those participating, the barrier to engagement becomes great especially when others are directly or indirectly affected. The resulting affect of the barrier is either an abrupt end or failure to launch of the engagement. Thus the importance  of getting everyone on board before, during and after the engagement is critical.

In the workplace, employee engagement does enhance their own sense of wellbeing. When employees engage they are participating. Leaders, the good ones, know what’s what and not wondering what’s up when they know their employees are engaging and part of what is going on.

While within any organization there individuals that come in all shapes and sizes, there are introverts and extroverts, and all of them focus on the organization’s mission and vision. However, when it comes to engagement, it is essential for management and leadership to understand and accept there is no cookie cutter approach to engagement. So long as everyone understands the message both management and employees must do what it takes to make positive engagement so.

While all employees must engage, the need to understand that there will be individual nuances between the generations (Gen X, Millennials, etc.) is another aspect that can quickly become a barrier or catalyst to positive engagement. Leaders must ensure that all generations within the organization are openly and actively communicating with each other. Dialogue becomes a critical function of opening and maintaining positive and empowering communication among all the members of the organization.

As a leader, it is your duty to help others feel and be more engaged.  Any true leader will ensure that all employees are engaging and ready to elevate the level of the current engagement. When followers are not on-board, the primary task of the leader becomes that of getting those followers on-board and actively engaging. A good example of leading by example will go a long way to actively pursuing engagement for those that are having a little trouble getting the picture or getting started with engagement at all levels.

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On DISRUPTION by David Guerra

Blog entry Dave Guerra on Disruption

 

Recently, I had a run in with DISRUPTION.

I know that’s nothing new. We all have to run into disruption (at least once or twice a day), it is part of who we are. Disruption is part of life. Without disruption how could we ever differentiate between what is urgent, what is important, what is not urgent and what is not important. We need disruption to give us perspective when we need and when we don’t.

Defining Disruption

I see Disruption as to go away from the norm. To move away from what is the everyday, the understood, the expected, basically move away in any and all angles of approach & departure. Does that make sense? If not, please let me clarify. Think of disruption as a succession of four way stops and no matter which turn you take (if any) it will take you to your final destination.

Positive Disruption

Yes, disruption always has a certain degree of positivity. Of course, the amount of positive disruption varies as each situation is unique. What I mean is when disruption occurs you are not define by the action of the disruption but by what you do after. How you approach and handle the disruption will determine the amount of positivity the disruption gives you.

Isn’t Disruption supposed to be something we dread or fear?
Yes and no. Yes, in that once you get into your groove and things are moving along at a constant suitable space why would it be good to disturb or disrupt? It is not. It means that it is now time to slow down and then gradually get back up to speed. Disruption should not be dreaded or feared in that it should be expected. When you expect something to happen you have a mindset of anticipation. Anticipation in that you know how you will react to the disruption and that’s a good thing. There will be times that others will, in response to disruption, get cold feet for fear of doing the wrong thing will react negatively or not at all and that’s not a good thing.

Disruption is necessary?

Most certainly, disruption is necessary. It is necessary when it creates a challenge and that creates or leads to change. Change, whether good or bad is still change and change is part of growth. Whether the outcome is not what is desired, it does give you the opportunity to turn things around move away from what you have known or just learned (the bad outcome) and into the unknown based on you have already left the bad behind. You could almost call disruption a checkpoint on the road to success.

Is disruption not a good strategy?

Any strategy or tactic should include anticipated and expected disruption. The need to deal with disruption as part of the plan is critical to the success of the plan. Did you know, in training Infantrymen, the US Army teaches how to deal with and fight through an ambush. Trust me, when I tell you an ambush (deliberate or hasty) is a disruption no Infantryman wants but does expect because they have been trained, since basic training on how to deal with it. It is when you ignore the fact that disruption (at any level or intensity) will occur that you have given up. That’s right you have given up long before you can implement any strategy or tactic.

How can disruption change the routine or status quo thinking/mindset?

It all depends on what the benefit or perceived benefit is for the individual(s) affected by the disruption. Disruption is a good thing so long as there is something positive for those affected by the disruption people will conform or at least, adapt. For example, there was a needed I needed extra help in a projected and asked for volunteers. As anyone who has ever worked for other people knows never to volunteer for anything. That’s OK, it was the first rule I learned when I joined the Army. So I understood that no one was going to outright volunteer for anything. I asked one more time and the new guy (in the organization) stepped up and volunteered. I told him to go home, he got a paid day off. Everyone else was “volunteered”. Needless to say, the next time I asked for a volunteer, everyone raised their hand.

I first learned about this tactic to getting people to volunteer especially when no one wants to volunteer when I was in the Army. Though I was not the one who was given the day off, I did promise myself that if I am ever in a situation where getting people to volunteer is difficult, I would try the tactic I mentioned. I remembered this disruptive idea from so many years ago for the same reason people remember things that appeal to them because it creates change in the way they do business or live or learn for better or worse.

What about the naysayers?

Getting naysayers to buy into your disruptive idea(s) is always going to be an up hill climb or swimming up the creek without a paddler or (insert cheese cliche about struggle here). But, the best way to win over the naysayers is to show them and not just tell them how the idea(s), the disruptive idea or concept, will be good for them. Do not gloss over the idea but be specific. Do what you need to do to connect at a personal level and you got it

Remember, to be disruptive, one must be willing to dare to be Disruptive! You have no choice, if you want to succeed when disruption comes to town, either through your hand or at the hands of others you must disruptive. Yet, be positively disruptive. To be positively disruptive you must POSITIVELY BE DISRUPTIVE!

 

Thank you
David Guerra

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Be Strong. Be Fearless. Be Wise.

0901-NOONER

I am strong because I have been weak.
I am fearless because I have been afraid.
I am wise because I have been foolish.

Can you say those words? Can you make that affirmation or will it make you feel weak, afraid, and foolish in front of others?

There is nothing wrong with looking like a fool or being afraid or appearing weak? Yet, too many people would rather live a mediocre life because they are afraid of walking out on the ice. Not knowing how thick or thin, it is. Are you afraid of looking like a fool when you speak to a crowd but nobody hears? Scared of being perceived as weak because your hopes and dreams are not the same as anyone else? Well, you are not alone, come in from the fear.

Too many times, we don’t do what we believe we should do because of what will the neighbors think.
To put it bluntly; screw what others think or believe.

They are not the dream of dreams and most certainly, they are no prize. Though they might believe they are but we know better. They are just regular everyday people who have their own problems, shame, guilt, and most of all, their own shortcomings. Just like you and I do. They might not show it because they are working at creating a façade that looks pretty but serves no true purpose. Add that to their feeble attempts to try dictating the conversation or manipulating the impressions of others. In the end, what does that get you? Nothing!
I know what it is like to be laughed at. I know what it is to be called a coward. I also know exactly what it is to be called a joke. Whether they want to read it or not or admit it or not, I have been called a coward, a joke, and laughed at by, believe it or not, those who I needed the most.

Does that stop me from needing them? No, it does not, as a matter of fact, I need them now more than ever. However, it does stop me from returning to them like a moth to a flame. Once you can break the cycle of returning to the place where you are burned then can you start to grow, change and become better. Nevertheless, for as long as you wallow in that misery and enjoy being burned you become more and more entrenched in that misery.

Remember, I know you are better than that. You can make that change. Admit your shortcomings and start to work on them. Then and only then can you be better than you were yesterday.

On the positive side, I have been called a hero, a wise man, and have had people laugh with me. it is a great feeling knowing that you are respected for what you are and not for what others want you to be or where they would rather keep you, typically beneath them.

That is, unfortunately, more than others can say about themselves.

Be Strong. Be Fearless. Be Wise. Be Better Than You Were Yesterday!

xxx