Make Everyone Feel Important This Year

Inspire The Whole Team To Achieve The Company's Mission And Goals

All leaders have a common responsibility to make certain the people reporting to them have a clear idea of how what they do fits their unit’s goals and the broader mission of their organization. Unquestionably, the pandemic’s effects on distancing requirements and normal interaction between managers and non-managers have significantly affected how organizational communications get heard, interpreted, and acted upon.

These are the days when leaders are justified in worrying whether those reporting to them have a clear and accurate understanding of what is expected of them and how those expectations fit in with the current goals and objectives of the organization.

So, the big question is this: “How much, if at all, has the chaos of the pandemic affected the collective clarity of goals and importance of mission in organizations, from the standpoint of workers today?”

This question was part of a national TIPP Poll, and the findings reveal some encouraging news as we close out the year. The results show that 78% of survey respondents who were asked whether they had a clear understanding of how they can make a valuable contribution to achieving the goals of their organization believe they do. And of that 78%, 38% strongly agree, and 40% somewhat agree.

That’s pretty good news. But among leaders, how much better off would they and their teams be if all members were sure of the true direction of their department and understood where they fit into the success picture? Here are a few tips worth considering for engaging that 22% who either disagree or are unsure.

A Clue About Which Employees To Tap Into

Pay particular attention to those employees who most likely are on the lower end of the corporate structure. Specifically, the TIPP survey found that they earn less than $50,000 per year and tend to be between the ages of 18 and 24.

Go Beyond Stating The Goals

Stating organizational goals at the onset of the year is a good first step and one that many leaders religiously practice. But seasoned leaders know that it’s not enough, mainly because many job roles and tasks, though crucially important, have little effect on the achievement of a company’s stated goals.

For instance, hearing that the company wants to increase earnings to $100 million in sales in the coming year will go over the heads of those who work in the compliance or payroll divisions. They will have a hard time relating to how their work impacts the company’s sales goal. So, to ensure that all employees understand what part they play and how they can add value to the company’s success, they need to hear how what they do links to the organization's mission- not merely its goals.

To bring the point home to these employees, they need to be clear on their value to the organization in their exact role. They need to be shown what they can do to earn praise and how they would be missed on any given workday if they didn’t show up for work!

Go Beyond Saying “Great Job.”

To praise employees, leaders need to avoid knee-jerk comments like “great job” or “well done.” Instead, leaders need to elaborate on how their work contributed value to the overall mission and goals of the company. It takes a few more minutes, but a manager’s extra effort to show how “great job” fits with an organizational objective will go a long way with the person or team that actually did the “great job.” This isn’t hard. It just takes some thought.

When leaders do this, they are helping individuals and team members feel valued, and at the same time, are keeping the mission and goals relevant and at the forefront.

So as the New Year unfolds, keep sending those messages and keep making sure employees understand exactly HOW their contribution, no matter how indirectly it applies, plays an important part in the company’s success!

ICYMI