| For a body to survive each of its cells needs to | | | | themselves. This strength of feelings and |
| contribute its role; the body engages every cell. | | | | emotions helps the average employee become a |
| Similarly, for a company to survive it must | | | | more engaged employee which manifests itself by |
| engage and activate every one of its employees; | | | | increased thinking, innovation, creativity and |
| anything less will lead to its demise. | | | | performance-based risk taking. Connected |
| Many companies have management styles that | | | | (inspired) employees reach for ideas that are at |
| are left over from the industrial revolution; these | | | | deeper levels; they demand more of themselves |
| command-and-control environments host | | | | and of others. They start to see things that |
| managements who spend their time dictating | | | | require greater effort and strong vision. Feeling |
| procedures and policies that have little effect in | | | | connected and engaged allows employees to feel |
| maximizing performance. We are now in the age | | | | inspired to offer what they think and to share |
| of intellectual capital - the age of inspire-and | | | | what they know. This improves the quality of |
| engage; this service economy has been brought in | | | | ideas...and their ability to be remarkable and |
| by the movement off shore of much of | | | | different. |
| manufacturing. The economy has changed and | | | | For this level of performance the Head and Heart |
| therefore the rules for managing have changed; | | | | must be in Harmony. Think of it this way: Heart |
| brain is in, brawn is out. | | | | and Mind mean Emotions and Brainwaves. |
| The command-and-control style of management | | | | Emotions and Brainwaves mean Information and |
| does not work in running a country or a company. | | | | Relationships. Information and Relationships are the |
| This is because the definition of work and | | | | components of today's service competitive |
| contribution by the employee has changed. Now, | | | | advantage and what drives employees to |
| employees need to be constantly thinking, | | | | perform. Information that is constantly shared is |
| inventing and creating responses and solutions. | | | | used for success. Relationships help employees |
| "One size fits all" management responses based | | | | feel valued, empowered and connected to their |
| on previous repetitive task workplaces do not | | | | work. The combination of information and |
| work in this information rich technology | | | | relationship is the formula for connected, engaged, |
| environment. Since the employees and their roles | | | | significantly contributing employees and great |
| have changed, our management style needs to | | | | company performance. |
| change. | | | | Creating an environment that encourages both |
| Intellectual capital is punctuated with an abundance | | | | the employee's Head and Heart creates the |
| of information, something that was previously in a | | | | possibility for high performance because it |
| more limited supply. With limited access to | | | | addresses and activates critical attributes of |
| information, management had been able to control | | | | employees. It is not enough for employees to |
| the workplace and the information that affected | | | | just think at work; they need to be emotionally |
| it. Today, with the pervasive nature of | | | | connected to their role and to others in the |
| information and the ease that every employee | | | | workplace to "inspire" them to invent, respond |
| has to access information, successful companies | | | | and work in ways that others do not. And this is |
| are lead by managers who do not try to control | | | | required for the entire organization. |
| information but rather those who create cultures | | | | Statistics from the Gallup Organization indicate |
| that inspire their employees to constantly watch | | | | that between 55% and 65% of employees do |
| and share what they see and hear. This | | | | just enough in the workplace so they don't get |
| introduces a new approach to both management | | | | fired; I'll call this "working half time." the connection |
| and the value of the employee. | | | | between all employees and employees and |
| So what does it take to win the collective genius | | | | management is the same as fully functioning |
| of our workforce? What does it take to get an | | | | body. All cells are expected and required to do |
| employee to be a thinker at work? | | | | what they do best in a way that benefits the |
| Employees are human that means that they | | | | entire body. If only half of the cells are working, |
| function not only on brain and brawn, but heart. | | | | illness and chaos result. If too few employees are |
| Employees contribute at their best levels when | | | | engaged (inspired) then only part of the company |
| they feel connected... inspired. | | | | is functioning well; there is a general decline in the |
| Author Jan Phillips explains in her book, "The Art | | | | company health and results suffer. Employees are |
| of Original Thinking", that if we look at the word | | | | like cells...each need to be clear about their |
| "inspired" we see that employees who are | | | | performance expectations and engaged to act as |
| "in-spired" are "in-spiritus;" in other words, they are | | | | they need to for optimum health or success. |
| connecting with each other on a spiritual level. This | | | | It is therefore our style of management that |
| does not refer to religion but rather that intrinsic | | | | either encourages this engaged approach or |
| emotional connection between people. Spirituality in | | | | discourages it. It is our style of management that |
| the workplace refers to the company's ability to | | | | either encourages the creative genius of our |
| fully understand and activate the "whole" | | | | people (helping each one contribute in their way) |
| (complete) employee - head, hands and heart. Old | | | | or inhibits through misunderstanding of what |
| command and control styles of management will | | | | moves current employees to profound |
| not accommodate employee "spirituality" or | | | | performance. Creative genius is launched in the |
| connectedness; instead, it looks to consistently | | | | information movement and relationship building |
| assert domination over employee performance. | | | | that inspires employees to do their best and take |
| Head and heart need to be connected for full | | | | calculated risks. Creative genius is the result of |
| engagement. When the heart (emotions) enter(s) | | | | organizations that know how to create cultures |
| in, important human to human (spiritual) | | | | that value employees and allow them to build |
| connections are built. These connections allow | | | | strong bonds with each other...bonds that help |
| employees to relate to both others and to | | | | them feel "in-spiritus. |