When was the last time you had a meaningful conversation with the people on your team?
Recent research from Gallup shows that only 31% of employees in the US are engaged at work and that managers account for 70% of the difference in team-level engagement.
Why does employee engagement matter? Organizations with highly engaged teams report 23% higher profitability, up to 18% higher productivity and 51% less turnover.1 Employee engagement is a broad topic – where do you start? Read on to learn more about engaging your team through strengths-based conversations.
Where To Start
Two key aspects of employee engagement include focusing on strengths and ongoing conversations that provide consistent feedback and coaching.2 How do you start to introduce strengths-based conversations? First, set the stage. Let your team members know that you want to focus on something different than you have before. Share that you may be asking more questions to focus on their development during your 1-1 meetings. You won’t transform the whole relationship in one conversation. Focus on starting small and staying consistent.
Where to Focus
During your conversations, ask questions that focus on your team member’s individual development. How much stronger could your team be by focusing on developing each team member?
Questions to ask include:
- What part of your work is most meaningful to you?
- What makes you feel the most energy in your role?
- When do you feel the most engaged on our team?
Consider their role on the team and which questions make the most sense to ask. Strengths-based conversations focus on the positive – what is already working well and building upon that.
Do your questions focus on shorter term development or longer term career goals? Which time frame might make more sense to focus on for your next conversation?
Questions to consider here include:
- What is one way you can use your strengths more in this role?
- What projects would you like to see more of in your role or on our team?
What’s Next? Action and Impact
Based on your conversation, where do you go next? Help your team member identify one or two action steps they can take towards their development. Based upon their answers, also consider what support they might need from you and what other resources they might need to reach these goals.
Change takes time. One conversation likely will not change everything – or maybe anything. Start small and stay consistent. Teams that focus on strengths consistently see 23% higher employee engagement.3 Over time, what are some ways to measure the impact of these conversations?
Questions to consider include:
- What has changed since you started focusing on these types of questions in your 1-1s?
- Are team members preparing differently for their 1-1s?
- What is happening in between 1-1 conversations?
Take the time to reflect on your conversations with each team member and celebrate the progress you see.
Need help starting strengths-based development conversations with your team? Contact us to discuss further.