{"id":4254,"date":"2015-09-29T06:05:19","date_gmt":"2015-09-29T11:05:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/?p=4254"},"modified":"2025-10-23T11:00:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T16:00:11","slug":"employee-engagement-beyond-the-buzz-words","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/employee-engagement-beyond-the-buzz-words\/","title":{"rendered":"Employee Engagement: Beyond the Buzz Words"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div>\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"4254\" class=\"elementor elementor-4254\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4080ecd elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4080ecd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div 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Beyond the Buzz Words<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c1117e elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-post-info\" data-id=\"2c1117e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"post-info.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-inline-items elementor-icon-list-items elementor-post-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item elementor-repeater-item-fcfa45b elementor-inline-item\" itemprop=\"author\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/author\/lbwebmaster\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"e-font-icon-svg e-far-user-circle\" viewBox=\"0 0 496 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M248 104c-53 0-96 43-96 96s43 96 96 96 96-43 96-96-43-96-96-96zm0 144c-26.5 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208-160s208 71.8 208 160-93.3 160-208 160z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text elementor-post-info__item elementor-post-info__item--type-comments\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNo Comments\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a17d19d elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"a17d19d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div style=\"text-align:center;\u201d>\r\n<span class=\"bsf-rt-reading-time\"><span class=\"bsf-rt-display-label\" prefix=\"Reading Time\">\n\t\t<\/span> <span class=\"bsf-rt-display-time\" reading_time=\"3\"><\/span> \n\t\t<span class=\"bsf-rt-display-postfix\" postfix=\"mins\"><\/span><\/span>\r\n<\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-70a0327\" data-id=\"70a0327\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-228f411 elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-featured-image elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"228f411\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-featured-image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/elementor\/thumbs\/employee_engagement-FI-qon9juytashsmijffpjtwh7k160607kzhwr13cypz4.png\" title=\"employee_engagement-FI\" alt=\"Employee Engagement\" loading=\"lazy\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7d4279fd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7d4279fd\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7fe2de9c\" data-id=\"7fe2de9c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-16665b1d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"16665b1d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Employee Engagement<\/h3>\n<em>Employee Engagement<\/em> has become a buzz-phrase.\u00a0 Everybody with a payroll\u00a0 wants more <em>engaged<\/em> employees. Right?\u00a0 So we start throwing the phrase around in meetings.\u00a0 People agree it would be nice-to-have.\n\nWho really knows what to actually do? Where do you start? Let&#8217;s start with the <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Employee_engagement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wiki Definition<\/a>:\n<blockquote><b>Employee engagement<\/b> is a property of the relationship between an organization and its employees. An &#8220;engaged employee&#8221; is one who is fully absorbed by and enthusiastic about their work and so takes positive action to further the organization&#8217;s reputation and interests.\n\nAn organization with &#8216;high&#8217; employee engagement might therefore be expected to outperform those with &#8216;low&#8217; employee engagement, all else being equal.<sup id=\"cite_ref-seijts_1-0\" class=\"reference\"><a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Employee_engagement#cite_note-seijts-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">[1]<\/a><\/sup><\/blockquote>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5117\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5117\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5117 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/office-comodities.jpg\" alt=\"Office Commodities\" width=\"360\" height=\"374\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/office-comodities.jpg 360w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/office-comodities-144x150.jpg 144w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/office-comodities-289x300.jpg 289w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5117\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Office Commodities?<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<span style=\"font-size: 14pt; color: #333399;\"><strong>Just Another Office Commodity?<\/strong><\/span>\n\nIf you are leading an organization, <em>employee engagement<\/em> is something you want to either <strong>get<\/strong> or <strong>work to improve<\/strong>.\u00a0 And with that as a goal, some managers\u00a0set out to <strong><em>get<\/em> <\/strong>more engagement as if it&#8217;s like <em>getting<\/em> more office supplies.\n\nBefore you hire consultants to do surveys and install new <em>engagement systems<\/em>, please proceed with caution. Avoid making employee engagement the latest<strong> <em>management flavor of the month<\/em><\/strong>.\n\nLet&#8217;s get a better handle on this <em>elusive intangible<\/em>.\n<h3>Attitude Ownership<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4260\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4260\" style=\"width: 150px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4260 size-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-way-b-150x150.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-way-b-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/2-way-b.png 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4260\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Trust is a Two-Way Street<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\nEnthusiasm for work is intangible. It begins with\u00a0an individual&#8217;s attitude.\n<h4 style=\"text-align: center;\">As a leader, is it possible to <strong>own<\/strong> the <strong><em>attitudes<\/em><\/strong> of your followers?<\/h4>\nLet&#8217;s agree that people own their own attitudes.\u00a0 The extent that others <strong><em>choose<\/em> <\/strong>to be enthusiastic about their work, is NOT within your control, no matter how much you try to <strong><em>get<\/em><\/strong> it from them. \u00a0Attitudes are\u00a0contagious.\n<h3>Good News \/ Bad News<\/h3>\nWhile it&#8217;s impossible for you to <strong><em>control<\/em> <\/strong>others&#8217; attitudes, there IS a lot you can to to <a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/expanding-your-sphere-of-influence\/\"><em><strong>influence<\/strong><\/em> <\/a>the way people feel about their work.\u00a0 But when it comes to <em>sustaining<\/em> workplace enthusiasm, <a href=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/are-carrots-and-sticks-obsolete\/\"><strong>carrots and sticks<\/strong> <\/a>can quickly lose their effectiveness.\u00a0 With what behavioral science now knows, <strong><em>extrinsic motivation<\/em><\/strong> tactics are minimally\u00a0effective over the long term.\n<h3>Maslow Revisited<\/h3>\nMost of us studied <em>Abraham Maslow&#8217;s Hierarchy of Needs<\/em> back in college.\u00a0 When we had no immediate application, our memories faded.\n\nHis theories taught us how motivation works.\u00a0 Higher levels of performance are attained when we are fulfilling higher level needs. <strong>How does Maslow&#8217;s Hierarchy apply to Employee Engagement?<\/strong>\u00a0 As we understand the higher levels, we are more likely to tap into our people\u2019s <em>intrinsic<\/em> motives.\n\nIn order to be truly <strong><em>engaged<\/em><\/strong>, employees need to be driven by higher order needs. This can NOT happen if the lower level needs are not met. I believe that the key to improving engagement in today&#8217;s work environment is NOT to overlook step #2; safety.\n<h3><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2679 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/maslow2.png\" alt=\"Maslow&#039;s Heirarchy\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/maslow2.png 400w, https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/maslow2-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3>Understanding Maslow&#8217;s Level #2: Safety<\/h3>\nTo assure safety, I&#8217;m not talking about adding more security guards, weapon sniffing dogs or chain link-barbed wire fences around your workplace.\u00a0 Creating a safe environment today goes beyond avoiding physical injury harm.\u00a0 Our most frequent threat to employee <strong>safety<\/strong> is <em>internal<\/em>. A safe work environment must minimize both potential and current fears.\n<h3>Where do Your New Ideas Come From?<\/h3>\nHow <strong>secure<\/strong> your people feel about sharing a creative, out-of-the-box idea? \u00a0What happens when they do? What happens when they don&#8217;t?\n\nIn all too many organizations, managers ignore our inherent need to <strong><em>feel safe.<\/em><\/strong> A prerequisite for improving engagement is establishing an environment where your team feels safe.\u00a0 Where prevalent politics and bad bosses rule, true engagement through intrinsic motivation is always illusive.\n<h3>How SAFE Does Your Team Feel?<\/h3>\nTo what extent to your people have the perception that it is dangerous to:\n<ul>\n \t<li>Challenge the status quo?<\/li>\n \t<li>Take risks?<\/li>\n \t<li>Speak candidly about common challenges?<\/li>\n \t<li>Rock the boat in any way?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nAre <strong>hidden agendas<\/strong> more prevalent than not?\n\nIs there a <strong><em>cover-your-tail<\/em> culture<\/strong>?\n\nAs long as these <strong>fears<\/strong> are present, you have a<strong> safety issue<\/strong>.\u00a0 If you don&#8217;t address internal safety, your efforts to\u00a0<strong>improve employee engagement<\/strong>\u00a0will struggle to achieve their desired results. \u00a0And, may\u00a0waste both\u00a0time and money. \u00a0 \u00a0<em>\n<\/em>\n\nHow likely is a cover-your-tail, frightened environment able to innovate? \u00a0How likely are they to dis-engage?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f5ca9b4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f5ca9b4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ccdb427\" data-id=\"ccdb427\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-37ac6ed elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"37ac6ed\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1591845327\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1591845327&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=chicaexecuc0b-20&amp;linkId=6FVE24X6ZZWYAJTK\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ASIN=1591845327&amp;Format=_SL160_&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=chicaexecuc0b-20\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-85e043a\" data-id=\"85e043a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7eeae81 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7eeae81\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1594484805\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1594484805&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=chicaexecuc0b-20&amp;linkId=63RW36ERXZZLZXGM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ASIN=1594484805&amp;Format=_SL160_&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=chicaexecuc0b-20\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1632315\" data-id=\"1632315\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7dcfdd9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7dcfdd9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0977225798\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0977225798&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=chicaexecuc0b-20&amp;linkId=K2VIPOS6MCJPH6QG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com\/widgets\/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;ASIN=0977225798&amp;Format=_SL160_&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=chicaexecuc0b-20\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b48d72b e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b48d72b\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-72c151e e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"72c151e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4fea5e3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4fea5e3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h3>Employee Engagement Bookshelf<\/h3><p>The first two are also referenced in the articles listed directly above.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf0a78f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"bf0a78f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc68d4f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"fc68d4f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/4hmNZ3T\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/71RRqISbncL._SL1500_.jpg\" title=\"\" alt=\"Leaders Eat Last\" loading=\"lazy\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-49d31a8 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"49d31a8\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e0caafc elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e0caafc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/48Fx22x\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/51km6RPOvYL._SL1200_.jpg\" title=\"\" alt=\"Drive Cover\" loading=\"lazy\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-58952b6 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-child\" data-id=\"58952b6\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90e46f6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"90e46f6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/0977225798\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&#038;camp=1789&#038;creative=9325&#038;creativeASIN=0977225798&#038;linkCode=as2&#038;tag=chicaexecuc0b-20&#038;linkId=K2VIPOS6MCJPH6QG\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41XYSICDfIL.jpg\" title=\"\" alt=\"I Quit Cover\" loading=\"lazy\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you are leading an organization, employee engagement is something you want to get or work to improve.  And with that as a goal, leaders set out to get more engagement as if it&#8217;s like getting more office supplies. So before you hire consultants to do surveys and install new engagement systems, please proceed with caution. Avoid making employee engagement the latest management flavor of the month.  Let&#8217;s get a better handle on this elusive intangible.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7752,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[23,26,16,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attitude-development","category-employee-engagement","category-innovation","category-leadership-development"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-content\/uploads\/employee_engagement-FI.png","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1I2Yr-16C","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4254","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4254"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4254\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17340,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4254\/revisions\/17340"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7752"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chicagoexecutivecoaching.com\/smartleadership\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}