Why Leaders Grow Employee Engagement Cultures...and How!

A quick-fix from some new management fad does not ensure employee engagement.
True employee engagement comes from the organization's culture. Culture stimulates employees to invest and involve in the work they do, how they do it, and why they do it for this company.

Organizational culture is the personality of an organization. Culture is comprised of assumptions, values, norms and tangible signs (artifacts) of organization members and their behaviors.

The specific collection of values and norms that are shared by people and groups in an organization and that control the way they interact with each other and with stakeholders outside the organization.

Conscious development of a business culture starts at the top, with the leader(s). An engaged leader does not have just an attitude of engagement. She demonstrates her very own engaged behavior. 

Leaders also engage in all aspects of their roles as leader.
A leader has vision. That ability to see what the organization can/should become distinguishes a leader. The leader can engage imagination and intuition with his knowledge and experience to clarify the components of why, who, where, when, and how.

A leader identifies and defines "engagement" for the organization.
A leader asks what comprises the entire work identity of an employee. The work identity in which one engages is more than just her job. An individual's total work identity may encompass

• Job as defined.
• Job as performed.
• Career surrounding the job.
• Participation in a team of which the job is an element.
• Organizational role and identity that are more than just the job.

A leader activates the culture of engagement.
A leader enrolls his managers in realizing an engagement culture. This is conceptual and practical. Managers must understand and buy into the value of engagement. They must also conduct everyday management activities in ways conducive to continuous engagement, theirs and their employees.

What is the culture of your organization? What according to you is the ideal leadership style?