Boosting Team Engagement: The Power of Involving Your Team in the Process

I’ve used plenty of leadership tools. However, I think the one thing that has had the biggest impact is making your people part of the process. This means sharing your vision, involving your team in decision-making, and engaging them in how they can contribute to achieving that vision. This simple but powerful leadership principle boosts team engagement, improves the chances of achieving your outcomes, enhances trust, builds a stronger culture, and costs nothing more than a conversation. 

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However, working "in" the business often leads small business owners to be reactive rather than proactive, making it easy to overlook the immense value of involving the team in the process.

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In this blog, I will remind you of the power of making your team part of the process and offer practical ways to boost team engagement by implementing this leadership tool.

The Importance of Inclusion 

What do I mean by “involving your team in the process”? Well, have you ever been tasked with a project and not given context to its significance to the broader business goals? Were you excluded from shaping the outcome or the steps to achieve it? Assuming you had, how engaged and motivated were you as a result? I’m guessing you were likely to be pretty disengaged. 

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When we fail to give context to our team about how their involvement fits into the bigger picture, we’re failing them and ourselves because we’re not allowing them to enhance their value to your business. 

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Here are just a few benefits to including your team in the process.

Enhances Team Cohesion

As you and your team work towards a common goal, inclusion fosters a sense of belonging. When everyone feels their voice is heard and their contributions are valued, team cohesion improves. This sense of unity drives innovation, collaboration, and a culture of support.

Drives Innovation

Diverse perspectives are crucial for innovation. Leaders can tap into a wide range of ideas and solutions by including team members in decision-making processes. This diversity of thought can lead to more creative and effective outcomes as team members bring unique insights and approaches to the table.

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Diverse teams are more innovative and perform better. A 2018 study by BCG found that companies with diverse management teams have 19% higher revenues due to innovation. Including your team in the planning process harnesses this diversity of thought, leading to more creative solutions and better decision-making. So what, you might be asking. Well, when you bring your team together and engage them in the process, you have the opportunity to utilise their diversity to strengthen your plans and achieve the outcomes. But, it’s not just the strengthening of the plans that have an impact. Engaging your team leads to greater ownership, which then translates to general engagement and motivation.

Boosts Engagement and Motivation

When employees feel included, they are more engaged and motivated. Knowing that their input matters and that they play a significant role in the organisation’s success gives team members a sense of purpose. Engaged employees are more likely to be proactive, take initiative, and go the extra mile to achieve objectives.

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Employee engagement is directly linked to business performance. According to Gallup, highly engaged teams show 21% greater profitability. When employees feel involved in the process and understand the significance of their contributions, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated. This sense of ownership drives them to perform at their best.

Builds Trust and Transparency

Inclusion builds trust between leaders and their teams. Open communication and transparency create an environment where employees feel safe to express their ideas and concerns. This trust is fundamental for a healthy work environment and can lead to more honest and productive discussions.

Improves Decision-Making and Accountability to KPIs

Leaders who involve their team in decision-making benefit from improved outcomes. Team members who are closer to day-to-day operations and have aligned performance measures often possess valuable insights that leaders might overlook. By including their perspectives, leaders ensure that decisions are well-informed and consider various aspects of the business.

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However, the effectiveness of this involvement hinges on aligning team members' key performance indicators (KPIs) with broader business goals. Often, business objectives are not translated into actionable KPIs for the team. If your organisation faces this issue, assessing the impact of achieving or more importantly, not achieving those targets is key. Ensure your team understands how their KPIs contribute to the overall business objectives and the consequences of not meeting them. Misaligned or irrelevant KPIs can lead to wasted efforts and hinder progress towards business goals.

Research supports this approach. A Salesforce study found that employees who feel their voice is heard are 4.6 times more likely to feel empowered to perform their best work. This underscores the importance of aligning KPIs with business objectives and involving the team in setting these metrics.

The Role of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership (and this Blog)

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a cornerstone of effective leadership. Leaders with high EI are adept at understanding and managing their own emotions and understanding others. This leads to stronger relationships, better conflict resolution, and a more cohesive team environment. One crucial aspect of EI in leadership is admitting that you might not have all the answers. This humility is not a weakness but a strength that fosters collaboration and innovation.

Seeking Input

So, a leader who acknowledges their limitations demonstrates authenticity and builds trust within the team. Seeking input from others not only enhances decision-making but also engages the collective intelligence of the team. This approach is backed by research showing that leaders who exhibit humility are more likely to foster positive team dynamics and improve overall performance.

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According to a study by Catalyst, leaders who practise humility and seek feedback are perceived as more inclusive and effective, resulting in higher employee engagement and productivity. Involving the team in decision-making processes can lead to more innovative solutions and a greater sense of ownership among team members.

Overcoming Delegation Challenges

Leaders with high emotional intelligence are also more likely to confront issues related to poor delegation. Delegation is a skill that requires trust and the ability to let go of control. Leaders who struggle with delegation often do so out of fear of losing authority or because they doubt their team’s capabilities. However, effective delegation is essential for empowering employees and ensuring tasks are completed efficiently.

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By involving the team in the process, leaders must create systems for follow-up and accountability. This not only ensures that tasks are completed but also provides opportunities for feedback and improvement. A structured approach to delegation and follow-up helps build a reliable and autonomous team, reduces the leader's burden, and increases overall productivity.

Creating a Feedback-Rich Environment

Emotional intelligence also involves creating a culture of continuous feedback. Leaders open to feedback from their team can make better-informed decisions and foster a culture of trust and transparency. Regular check-ins and feedback sessions allow team members to voice their concerns, suggest improvements, and feel valued for their contributions.

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A feedback-rich environment encourages team members to take ownership of their tasks and strive for excellence. According to Gallup, employees who receive regular feedback are 3.6 times more likely to be engaged at work. This engagement translates into higher productivity and better business outcomes.

Building Systems for Accountability

Establishing clear systems for accountability is part of involving the team in the process. Leaders with high EI understand the importance of setting expectations and providing the necessary support for their team to meet those expectations. This includes defining clear roles, setting measurable goals, and regularly reviewing progress.

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A well-structured accountability system ensures everyone knows their responsibilities and how their work contributes to the overall business objectives. This clarity reduces ambiguity and increases efficiency, as team members know their targets and the steps needed to achieve them.

Practical Steps to Make Your Team Part of the Process

Ready to involve your team but unsure where to start? Here are some practical steps to add to your leadership toolkit:

Start at the Individual Level

• ‍Understand Individual Strengths and Goals: Learn what drives each team member and what excites them about their work. Use this information to delegate tasks that play to their strengths and align with their personal goals.

Move to the Team Level

• Bring your team together and share the overall vision of success. Paint a clear picture of the desired outcomes.‍
• Facilitate Open Discussion: Encourage team members to think big and share ideas without fear of judgment. This can lead to innovative solutions.‍
• Guide and Align: If suggestions don’t align with current goals, use this as an opportunity to guide the team and strengthen collaboration. This will help achieve outcomes faster and reduce stress.

Establish Accountability

• ‍Set Up Accountability Systems: Implement or delegate the setup of systems to keep projects on track. Clear roles, measurable goals, and regular progress reviews are essential.‍
• Define Clear Expectations: Ensure everyone knows their responsibilities and how their work contributes to overall business objectives. This clarity boosts efficiency and reduces ambiguity.

Leaders with high emotional intelligence set expectations and provide necessary support, making it easier for the team to meet their goals.

Real-World Example: The Success of Google's Project Aristotle

A fantastic example of a company implementing a change in how it engages its team is Google's Project Aristotle. This initiative aimed to understand what makes a team effective at Google. The company analysed hundreds of its teams to identify the key characteristics of high-performing groups. 

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To find out more, check out the case study here.

The Wrap

Involving your team in the process of achieving business goals is not just a leadership tool but a transformative approach that enhances team cohesion, drives innovation, boosts engagement, and builds trust. Leaders can significantly improve team performance and overall business outcomes by understanding and harnessing diverse perspectives, aligning KPIs with business objectives, and fostering an environment of psychological safety and continuous feedback. Emotional intelligence plays a crucial role in this process, enabling leaders to admit uncertainties, seek input, and create systems of accountability that empower their teams

5 Key takeaways

1. Engage your team as early as possible.
2. Encourage meaningful collaboration and connection.
3. Cultivate a self-aware team from top to bottom.
4. Link KPIs to the outcome.
5. Check in and reevaluate! (Possibly the MOST important step.)

What to Do Next

Are you ready to involve your team in the process, but not sure where to start? I’ve got heaps of leadership tools at the ready, and this is just one of them. Book a 30-minute chat to ask me anything, I’m sure I’ve got a way to help.