Page 329 - How America's Best Places to Work Inspire Extra Effort in Extraordinary Times

316B RE-ENGAGE

crazy about hearing their stories of woe. They seem to live by that old
aphorism: “Chaos, panic and disorder—my work here is done.” Even
the best of managers can be frustrated by their immovable attitudes,
leaving these miscreants in an inevitable slide that ends with a pink
slip and two weeks’ severance pay.
Don’t succumb to engagement disorder!
Like many of your colleagues, you may have had a tough break
or two in your career—horrible manager, corporate downsizing, or
incompetent leadership at the top of the house. And we know that
getting a paycheck from an employer who is passionately working to
develop the six universal drivers we’ve discussed would make your
work life a lot more productive and enjoyable. Many workers are in
the same crowded boat these days. This doesn’t mean that you or your
coworkers have to suffer from an engagement disorder. The truth is:

: In spite of these bad breaks you still have a choice about how
you comport yourself.
: You can still go to work with the attitude that you will do the
best you possibly can.
: You can continue to learn and develop your skills.
: You can find others at your place of work who share your in-
terest in creating a better workplace and would be willing to
champion and work toward this important goal.

And if these efforts don’t help you succeed at your current place
of work, you can rest assured there are places where a self-engaged
employee is valued. We hope that whatever situation you find yourself
in right now, you will see that much of what you do, and how you
respond to the environment around you, is in your hands.
The choice, ultimately, is yours.