Page 164 - Build a Culture of Employee Engagement with the Principles

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Partnering

employees are able to make decisions without having to stop and
wait for direction or approval. For example, imagine an assembly
line going down. In one case, partnered employees quickly begin
problem solving and brainstorming solutions, while traditionally
managed employees are content to stop and wait for direction
from their supervisor even when they know what should be done.
Moreover, employees actually engaged in doing the work and
using the equipment are often the ones most qualified to make
the best decision. Waiting for supervisors to make or approve
decisions that the employee is readily capable of making is not
only unproductive and inefficient but also highly disrespectful
and will likely foster disengagement.

Fundamentals of Partnering

Supervisors interested in creating partnerships with and among
team members must start by fostering teamwork and collabora-
tion. To quote Marvin Weisbord, “Teamwork is the quintessential
contradiction of a society grounded in individual achievement.”
Although we may speak of the importance of teamwork both in
business and in sports, rarely is it the supportive team member
who receives the accolades. To foster teamwork, a supervisor
must emphasize that no one wins unless everyone wins. There
must be a continuous emphasis on employees working collab-
oratively toward a common goal, and employees should know
precisely how their work contributes to that goal. You should
reinforce group efforts and not individual accomplishments. It
should be the employee who puts aside his or her work to help
another who receives recognition.
Like teamwork, successful partnering at any level requires
clearly defined roles and goals, open communication, trust,