Implementing Robust Engagement Plans

Is your leadership's management philosophy stuck in the 1960s? Let's redefine it: Leadership by Being Engaged. The concept of "management by walking around" came from Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard (HP founders) in the 1960s, popularized by Tom Peters in 1982, and gets used today to describe what's missing in #remote work. "The expected benefit: by random sampling of events or employee discussions, managers are more likely to facilitate improvements to the morale, sense of purpose, productivity and and quality... compared to remaining in a specific office area, or the delivery of status reports." The literal concept doesn't work if your managers have people who are working in multiple locations, now the majority case. 60 to 80% of all "enterprise" company managers now have #distributed teams. 100% of Fortune 500 Execs have teams that are #distributed today, according to Atlassian (kudos Molly Sands, PhD). #RTO mandates rooted in this philosophy are trying to return to a world that no longer exists. Leaders need a both/and approach. Get employees together to jump-start #belonging, and build better #culture and #performance by being involved in the digital #collaboration tools that your teams use every day. Let's redefine a philosophy rooted in co-location into one for the #digital age. Four starting points for leaders looking to get digitally engaged: 🔸 Increase transparency. Internal transparency around clear goals and realistic progress against them drives focus on outcomes, and builds trust. 🔸 Get engaged in the work. Execs need to stop saying "Teams/Slack etc are for the kids; you'll find me in email" and get into the tools people use every day to work through account issues, project updates, and problem solving. 🔸 Participate in digital communities. Social forums at work build belonging. That cuts across everything from an Abilities ERG to Sneakerheads. Finding community at work boosts retention; even leaders need to find that. 🔸 Get a reverse mentor. Being available and engaged digitally can feel foreign as a leader, and initially scary to a team. Find a digital native in your organization who can coach you! What's your take? Retire the phrase, or revive an important concept?

𝐒𝐢𝐱 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞. 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐠𝐞—𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞. I believed leadership meant setting direction and ensuring alignment. But over time—I’ve come to see that real leadership isn’t just about strategy. It’s about 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. That truth has never been more relevant than it is today. For the first time in modern history, 𝐬𝐢𝐱 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞. It’s a leadership challenge few of us were trained for. 🔹 𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (pre-1946): Still serving on boards; shaped by duty and discipline. 🔹 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 (1946–1964): ~12% of today’s workforce; value stability, loyalty, and legacy. 🔹 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐗 (1965–1980): ~27%; independent, pragmatic, delivery-focused. 🔹 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 (1981–1996): ~34%; purpose-driven, collaborative, growth-oriented. 🔹 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐙 (1997–2012): ~27%; inclusive, tech-native, values transparency. 🔹 𝐆𝐞𝐧 𝐀𝐥𝐩𝐡𝐚 (post-2012): The emerging workforce—digital-first, fast-learning, entrepreneurial. These differences show up in how we work: → Senior leaders value hierarchy; Gen Z favors flat structures. → Boomers seek recognition; Gen X wants autonomy; Millennials want meaning; Gen Z asks, “𝘞𝘩𝘺?” → Gen Alpha? They're learning, building, and questioning earlier than ever. What feels like friction is often just generational dissonance. In a recent HBR piece, put it well: “𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.” That’s the shift we need as leaders: From uniformity → to personalization From authority → to empathy From legacy leadership → to 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 leadership I now ask myself not just, “Am I leading well?” but “Am I leading 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺?” Because when we adapt our style—not our standards—we help every generation contribute at their best. Great leadership today means adapting with intention and embracing what makes each generation thrive. 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭: Connecting individual roles to a broader organizational mission fosters engagement across all generations. 𝐂𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Recognize and adapt to the preferred communication styles of each generation to enhance collaboration. 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: Offering flexibility can address the diverse needs and expectations of a multigenerational team. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬: Promote a culture of lifelong learning to support professional development for all age groups. What shift have you made to better lead across generations? #HarveysLeadershipRhythms #ThoughtsWithHarvey #ExecutiveLeadership #TheLeadershipSignal #GenerationalLeadership #LeadershipReflections #LeadWithIntention #MultigenerationalWorkforce #LeadershipCue #Mentorship

Muddy and misaligned expectations between sales and partnerships is the quickest way to the Partnerships Death Cycle. To create a seamless relationship between sales and partnerships, you need to establish shared goals early even before the first lead even hits the pipeline. It's critical to define roles, responsibilities, and what success looks like together. Here’s how to make it happen: 1. Start by aligning on specific, measurable goals. Ask questions like: • How many partner-sourced leads does the sales team aim to close each quarter? • What role do sales reps play in partner engagement, from initial outreach to co-selling? • How will success be measured—partner deal velocity, win rates, or total revenue? 2. Avoid the “it’s not my job” trap by clearly defining responsibilities. For example: • Partnerships manage the relationships and bring qualified leads to the table. • Sales ensures timely follow-up and integrates partner insights into the customer journey. A joint kickoff meeting is the perfect way to ensure both teams are rowing in the same direction. Use this time to: • Share the partnership strategy and how it supports sales goals. • Walk through the sales process for partner-sourced leads. • Address potential friction points (like lead ownership or attribution) before they arise. 3 .Keep this alignment ongoing. Regular check-ins help adjust goals, track progress, and ensure everyone stays on the same page. When sales and partnerships work in sync, the whole organization benefits.

Could strategic misalignment be keeping you and your organization away from attaining maximum value? Executives and project managers are often rowing in different directions. The boat moves, but not necessarily toward value. From my doctoral research, and work with several clients, three pillars of strategic alignment consistently separate high-performing organizations from the rest: 1️⃣ Common Goals – A shared definition of success at both the strategic and operational levels. 2️⃣ Shared Language – Clear communication that bridges “executive speak” and project management terms. 3️⃣ Mutual Understanding – Executives gain insight into project realities, while PMs understand the strategic trade-offs leaders are balancing. The challenge? Most organizations talk about alignment but rarely make it a living system. That’s why I created the ALIGN™ Framework as a practical roadmap: 🪀 A – Assess the Value Chain → Define where value is created and lost. 🪀 L – Listen Across Levels → Build the “bilingual dictionary” across teams. 🪀 I – Integrate Strategy into Planning → Include PMs early in design, not just delivery. 🪀 G – Guide with Goals & Guardrails → Establish clarity with KPIs, OKRs, and constraints. 🪀 N – Navigate with Data & Confluence → Create mutual understanding with dashboards, forums, and collaboration tools. 🔑 ALIGN™ isn’t just an acronym. It’s the operating system for embedding the three pillars of Common Goals, Shared Language, and Mutual Understanding into everyday practice. When organizations apply it, strategy stops being a lofty document and becomes a lived reality. 📌 Question for you: In your organization, which of these three pillars: common goals, shared language, or mutual understanding requires the most urgent attention? Let's create the bride to ALIGN! ♻️Share to elevate others and follow🎙️Fola F. Alabi for more! #FolaElevates #StrategicLeadership #ProjectManagement #SPL #StrategicAlignment #Align #ExecutionExcellence #StrategicConfluenc

Most managers try to “motivate.” The best ones learn how to 𝘮𝘢𝘱. Motivation is less about pep talks, bigger bonuses, or shinier perks and more about uncovering the 𝘩𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 that fuel each person’s energy. The 3 Clusters of Motivation (Motivational Maps®) 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 🤝 = motivated by connection, recognition, and belonging. 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 🏆 = motivated by performance, influence, and results. 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 🌱 = motivated by learning, purpose, and freedom. Within these clusters sit 9 motivators. Each person has a unique mix, but usually three stand out, with one core motivator at the centre. That’s why: One employee lights up with public recognition Another thrives when given freedom to experiment Another only feels energised when their work has clear meaning Treat them the same, and you’ll quietly disengage half your team. 💬 The One Question That Unlocks It All: “𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘺?” The answer almost always reveals their motivator mix. ✅ Here’s your challenge today: Can you describe each team member’s top motivator in a single sentence? If not, you’re not managing motivation. You’re just managing tasks. _________________ Hi, I'm Lucy. High functioning doesn't mean high capacity. I coach leaders to bridge the gap using a Leadership Operating System backed by behavioural science.

We tend to attribute motivation to individual mindset — discipline, ambition, resilience. But research tells a different story. A new research by Adam Grant and Marissa Solomon Shandell argues that work is inherently social. The people we compete with, collaborate with, and show up for may be the most underrated driver of our performance. Here are a few insights from the study: Rivalry sharpens focus: Competing against someone with whom you share history is more motivating than abstract competition. In professional sports, teams consistently outperform in playoffs when their closest rival had a strong prior season. Low expectations can be a catalyst: In one study, “underdogs”, those told they weren’t expected to succeed were significantly more likely to reach optimal outcomes in negotiations, driven by the desire to prove others wrong. Helping colleagues pays dividends: A meta-analysis of over 51,000 employees found that time invested in supporting others contributes as much to performance reviews and promotions as individual output quality. Knowing who you serve amplifies effort: In a field experiment, university fundraisers who spent just 10 minutes with a scholarship recipient increased their call time by 142% and raised 171% more funds. Your environment shapes your output: Research at a tech firm found that sitting near a high performer increased a colleague’s productivity by 13% and reduced unresolved tasks by nearly 17%. It is important to recognize that relationships are a performance variable, not just a cultural nuance. Beyond managing your to-do list, be intentional about your who list, the rivals who push you, the people who benefit from your work, and the colleagues you surround yourself with daily.

The best leaders don’t just delegate tasks. They delegate visibility. Some leaders believe their role requires being the face of every meeting, every announcement, every panel, every partnership. But the most impactful leaders know when to take the back seat. Because leadership isn’t proven by how often you take the mic. It’s proven by how confidently your people can speak without you. A true hallmark of leadership is this: You don’t just hold the spotlight. You help others stand in it. And when leaders don’t hoard visibility but develop and distribute it across their teams, something powerful happens: Teams strengthen. Voices diversify. Engagement increases. Innovation expands. And the organization becomes far more resilient than any single leader could ever be alone. If you’re committed to building leaders, not followers, here are a few ways to start: 1️⃣ Identify who’s ready for more visibility. Look for teammates who show initiative, emotional intelligence, and curiosity not just the loudest or the most seasoned. 2️⃣ Create safe practice environments. Internal meetings, cross-functional updates, and low-stakes presentations are perfect training grounds before the higher-stakes moments. 3️⃣ Invest in communication capability, not just competency. Provide coaching, speaker development, storytelling frameworks, and opportunities to rehearse. Confident communication is taught, not assumed. 4️⃣ Let them represent the team in real ways. Pass the mic. Share the panel. Let them give the client update, lead the town hall, or deliver the cross-department briefing. 5️⃣ Don’t just elevate talent, equip them. Visibility without preparation creates anxiety. Visibility with support creates leaders. Because the goal isn’t for you to be the only one who can communicate the mission with clarity and conviction. The goal is to build a team full of people who can. That’s leadership. That’s delegating accountability not just responsibility. That’s how we thrive together. This week inside my Let’s Thrive Together newsletter here on LinkedIn we’re spotlighting a leader that does this so well. Subscribe to join the conversation. Keep leading & keep thriving! ❤️📈 These photos are from our Career Thrivers Rise & Thrive Advancing Women Leaders Intensive, three days of equipping emerging leaders with the communication, confidence, and clarity they need to own their story, speak with influence, and navigate their careers with intention.

Want to supercharge your employee engagement strategy? Start by asking the right questions. As leaders, we often focus on metrics and results, but the true pulse of our organizations lies in the voices of our employees. Here are five powerful questions to ignite conversations that foster connection and drive meaningful engagement: ✅ What inspires you in your work? Understanding what motivates your team members can help align their passions with organizational goals, creating a sense of purpose that drives performance. ✅ How do you prefer to collaborate? Everyone has different communication styles and preferences. By discovering how your team likes to work together, you can create a more inclusive and effective environment. ✅ What obstacles do you face in your role? Encouraging openness about challenges shows your employees that you value their experiences. Identifying these barriers can lead to solutions that enhance productivity and morale. ✅ What skills would you like to develop? Investing in your team’s growth not only benefits them but also strengthens your organization. When employees feel supported in their professional development, their engagement skyrockets. ✅ How can we celebrate your achievements? Recognition is key to engagement. Understanding how your employees want to be acknowledged can help foster a culture of appreciation that motivates and retains top talent. At CraftCulture, we believe that asking these questions is just the beginning. It’s about actively listening and taking action based on the feedback you receive. When employees feel heard and valued, they become more invested in their work and the organization as a whole. Let’s not just check the box on engagement—let’s create a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute and thrive. If you’re ready to elevate your employee engagement strategy, let’s chat! Together, we can craft experiences that truly resonate with your team.

The hardest lesson I learned while running two online platforms and juggling teams in Accra and Lagos? “I don’t have time” is leadership’s costliest lie. I used to tell myself that regular check-ins could wait until “things calmed down.” They never did. Projects piled up, assumptions multiplied, and motivation wobbled, until I finally built an approach that helped me see (and serve) each person, not just the to-do list. ⫸ 80 % of employees who receive meaningful feedback each week are fully engaged, regardless of where they work. Only 16 % say their last manager conversation hit that mark. ⫸ Engagement isn’t an ad-hoc pep talk. It’s a rhythm. The leaders who select and honor that rhythm drive higher productivity and lower turnover. What I built (and turned into a toolkit) Employee Engagement Toolkit → https://vist.ly/3n5xvjy A plug-and-play Google Sheet Database (fully editable or transferable into your own tools) with: ⇒ One-on-one tracker – prompts, action items, space for follow-up dates. ⇒ Strengths & motivators tracker – so assumptions don’t run the show. ⇒ Recognition & feedback log – because praise that lands is specific and timely. ⇒ Pulse-check dashboard – quick color-coded view of energy, workload, and blockers. ⇒ Conversation starters & coaching cues – to turn “How’s it going?” into dialogue that matters. Think of it as a starter kit you customize to fit your context, nothing complicated or expensive, just a repeatable framework that keeps people (and their work) visible. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “I’m sure they’ll want X, Y, Z,” without actually confirming it, this toolkit is for you. I built it for a client who wanted to move from reactive firefighting to intentional engagement, and I added it to the Leadership Shop because I wish I had it years ago. Question for you: What’s one small habit you use to keep engagement from slipping through the cracks? - - - - - - - - 👋🏿 Hi, I’m Akua! ⭐ Leadership, Culture & Transformation Advisor and creator of the Leadership Shop. 🗓️ This week, join me as I share a bit more of the behind-the-scenes of my business. Don’t miss my Ask Me Anything LinkedIn Live on Friday, June 6th. See you there!

Applying Cummings & Worley Group Diagnostic Model #OrganizationalDevelopment #TeamDynamics #PharmaIndustry #Leadership #ChangeManagement Scenario Background: A mid-sized pharmaceutical company has been experiencing declining productivity and increasing conflict within its research and development (R&D) teams. The leadership suspects that ineffective team dynamics and poor alignment of goals might be contributing factors. To address these issues, How L & D professional can utilize the Group Level Diagnostic Model, which focuses on diagnosing and improving group effectiveness within an organization. Step 1: Entry and Contracting: Objective: Establish a clear understanding of the project scope, objectives, and mutual expectations with the R&D teams. Actions: Conduct initial meetings with team leaders to discuss the perceived issues and desired outcomes. Step 2: Data Collection Objective: Gather information to understand current team dynamics, processes, and challenges. Actions: Distribute surveys and conduct interviews to collect data on team communication, collaboration, role clarity, and decision-making processes. Observe team meetings and workflows to identify misalignments and potential areas of conflict. Use assessment tools to measure team cohesion, trust levels, and satisfaction among team members. Step 3: Data Analysis Objective: Analyze the collected data to identify patterns, root causes of dysfunction, and areas for intervention. Actions: Compile and analyze survey results and interview transcripts to identify common themes and discrepancies. Map out communication flows and decision-making processes that highlight bottlenecks or conflict points. Assess the alignment between team goals and organizational objectives. Step 4: Feedback and Planning Objective: Share findings with the teams and plan interventions to address the identified issues. Actions: Conduct feedback sessions with each team to discuss the findings and implications. Facilitate workshops where teams can engage in problem-solving and planning to improve their processes and interactions. Develop action plans that include specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) objectives to enhance team performance. Step 5: Intervention Objective: Implement interventions aimed at improving team dynamics and effectiveness. Actions: Initiate team-building activities that focus on trust-building and role clarification. Provide training sessions on conflict resolution, effective communication, and collaborative problem-solving. Realign team goals with organizational objectives through strategic planning sessions. Step 6: Evaluation and Sustaining Change Objective: Assess the effectiveness of interventions and ensure sustainable improvements. Actions:Conduct follow-up assessments to measure changes in team performance and dynamics. Hold regular meetings to discuss progress and any ongoing issues. Adjust interventions as necessary based on feedback and new data.