Why Leaders Who Listen to Their Team’s Ideas Have Higher Engagement
Quick Leadership Tips #3
2 min readJun 6
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One common theme of engagement surveys is that line managers don’t ask for improvement ideas from the team.
Even when ideas are put forward unasked, many managers could be more appreciative.
Ideas are ignored or dismissed, leaving the team member feeling disregarded.
“Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.” — Richard Branson
So why bother to take the time to listen?
- Your team will feel heard and valued, which will increase engagement. Consulting the team about decision-making processess creates trust and a sense of empowerment & ownership amongst the group.
- When you ask your team for ideas, they will find their role more fulfilling. Think about when you have been asked for your ideas, rather than given a series of instructions.
- Different perspectives, backgrounds, and cultures will mean your team will come up with improvement ideas that you wouldn’t have thought of.
- The creativity & innovation in the team will increase, leading to improved processes, better problem-solving, reduction of waste, and even new products or services.
- Sharing insights around ideas and problems will foster teamwork and collaboration. Your team will perform better as a whole and be more able to meet the demands of your organization.
- Your relationships with your team members will improve as you work together on ideas. You will also learn more about the skills of your team.
Action points:
- Ask for ideas for improvement in one-to-ones or team meetings.
- Always get back to your people about their ideas, even if the idea isn’t viable.
- Ensure the senior team knows who came up with successful ideas — giving credit where credit is due is always a good look for a manager.
- Use idea-generating sessions regarding productivity, innovation, or any other areas you feel could be improved.
- Make sure you really listen so…
