Engagement is about respect.  I can tell you from experience that someone from outside a business can come in and see internal engagement problems in less than a day. It is all about respect, which is easy to observe.

A University of Berkley study, which focused on the survivability of marriages, found that the common denominator of failed relationships was the existence of a condescending attitude. Our relationships at work are the same. When there is a lack of respect between individuals or groups, there will also be silo’ing and sub optimizing.

I call this gap in respect the “Identity Gap”.  It is based upon the feeling or belief that an individual or group is more important, smarter, or better than another group. This creates dispersed thinking.  Dispersed thinking leads to poor cooperation and performance.

The smart leader does what they are uniquely qualified to do and delegates to others what they are uniquely qualified to do. Additionally, the smart leader appreciates others for what they bring to the table.  I can remember when Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears bought his offensive line Rolex watches because he realized that he could not be successful without their help. This creates parallel thinking.

If we want to improve our employee engagement, we must decrease the Identity Gaps that exist between us. Respect is the lubricant that helps us function as a team.