The Power of an Invitation

Today's blog was written by trainer, Ted A. Thomas, a leading expert on leadership and management.

 

How difficult is it for managers to engage their team and say, “I need your help in some important areas.” In the past this may have been translated by the team as, “oh no, we are in for a long week! Our manager is being weird again!” Well, life doesn’t have to be this way.

 

The headline of this blog, “The Power of an Invitation” lends itself to the practical application of authentic engagement. This engagement requires leadership’s intentional behaviors in the following three areas. When leaders recognize these areas, teams respond.

 

People want:

1. To be invited
2. To be included
3. To be a contributor

 

To be authentically invited to the table, invited to a cause, and invited to join in a circle of energy and influence for innovation and change sparks an enthusiasm unmatched by most traditional methods. So many employees hesitate to speak up in a culture of rote management feedback inquiries. “Ok, does anyone have questions?” Too often the culture in which these inquiries exist does not support employees’ need to speak up.

 

Following the authentic invite, people want to be included. Our social nature drives this need even in the workplace. Consider that we spend near a third of our waking life with our work partners, being included in the mix results in stronger feelings of being valued and validated.

 

Finally, people have an innate need to contribute to something greater than themselves. People will, when asked, when invited and included, dig deep to contribute their own energies, driven by intrinsic motivational factors, beyond the ordinary. People would rather be a part of the solution than the problem. We teach others how to treat us. Teach them.

 

I invite you to consider navigating these three key areas with your team. It is worth noting that your culture can change with time and intentionality. Remember to invite, to include, and ask them to be contributors to the health and wealth of your organization.

 

 

Ted A. Thomas is a nationally-known and respected expert on leadership and the creator of the Legacy Leadership Challenge. Learn more about Ted at his web site or his Facebook page.