Engage Staff to Survive.

Consultants PWC state that involvement is essential in managing change successfully. They identified that nine out of ten barriers to change relate to people.

LeaderShape’s Managing Director, Greg Young, agrees: “Engaged people are up to 40% more productive, developing solutions to improve productivity that no top-down approach can ever identify. They bring innovation to the way they and their organisations work. It is leadership, at all levels, that determines the level of engagement in an organisation, its productivity, its agility and therefore its long term sustainability of performance.”

Staff engagement is seen as one of the biggest keys to success.  A new report from the Economist Intelligence Unit identifies more than 80% of top company executives across Europe and the Middle East airing this concern.  Yet almost half (43%) admit that issues like motivation, identification with company goals or willingness to ‘go the extra mile’ – are only ‘occasionally’, ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ discussed at board level. Moreover, almost 90% say their organisations fail to take action to tackle continually low staff engagement.

Are we all hard-wired to be selfish and is ‘survival of the fittest’ our true default?

Neuroscience contradicts this mantra and shows that the empathy we feel for others can drive our understanding of leadership. When the boss gets angry, the whole workforce reacts to the tension in the room. But leaders can motivate when they connect better with staff, using collaboration as a tool for success. It’s the opposite of our belief that business only wants ‘profit at any cost,’ a view that is wrecking our social structures and our world economy.

Who will get the Empathy Vote?

It’s Party conference season.  The Lib Dems kicked it off, followed by Labour and now it’s the Conservatives turn in the spotlight.  These occasions are now aimed less at the party faithful themselves and more a showcase for the wider audience.  This is especially so this year with a General Election not that far away. 

So it has become a bit of a beauty parade for the leaders; Nick Clegg seeking to establish credibility that the Lib Dems are not a wasted vote, Gordon Brown focusing on policy substance and this week David Cameron will want to appear as PM in waiting.

In order to be successful, all three leaders will have to connect with ordinary people, demonstrate that they really do understand their issues in a way that isn’t politically patronising but authentic and heartfelt.  In short they need to demonstrate empathy in bucket loads.  Easier said than done, especially for Gordon Brown who has been living in the Government bubble for over a decade, and perhaps David Cameron with his privileged background shared with a number of colleagues in the Shadow Cabinet.

Empathy is an essential ingredient of excellent leadership and anyone in any walk of life politics aside, will not gain followers without this attribute.  See the four key ways you can develop your own empathy by visiting http://www.leadershape.biz/empathy.aspx