Page 328 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

Self-Engagement C315

: THE LIMITS OF SELF-ENGAGEMENT

Despite our best efforts, some employees will not rise to the level of
full engagement. They may simply be in the wrong jobs, too distracted
by personal life challenges, or too resistant by reason of their beliefs
or work ethic. As managers, the trick is not to give up on disengaged
employees too soon—not without having explored ways to effectively
address these issues.
We need to also acknowledge that the wisest and most adaptive
decision for some employees may be to pursue employment in other
organizations where the fit may be better and they can start fresh with
a new manager.
Where does self-engagement end and engagement attributable to
manager or leader actions begin? We will never know the answer, but
we must always pursue it. As Ferdinand Fournies has pointed out,
there are 16 reasons why employees don’t do what they are supposed
to do, and only one of them lies outside the power of the manager to
influence. 2

: FINAL THOUGHTS

Psychologists describe patients who exhibit self-defeating behaviors to
which they rigidly adhere as having character disorders. To the great
frustration of those around them, they don’t see their behavior as dys-
functional or unacceptable, often being perplexed and defensive when
others question their actions. They tend to resist well-intentioned at-
tempts to help them examine and address their behavior, often leaving
them socially outcast.
In our many years in consulting we’ve seen our share of employees
with what might be called “engagement disorders.” These employ-
ees are typically quite unhappy with their lot (at work and often in
life) and go out of their way to express their displeasure to any and
all around them, including customers who (surprise, surprise) are not