Leadership Success Formula: Proven Strategies for Employee Engagement

By Erin Merideth

As a leader, you might often wonder how to get your employees fully engaged and on track to achieve the desired results. Improving employee performance can feel like a guessing game, but it doesn't have to be. Leaders typically spend the most time on employee alignment and performance, often leading to frustration when things don't go as planned. "Why isn't my employee doing what I asked?" is a common question. Through my work with leaders across S&P companies, I've discovered a formula that can significantly increase the probability of getting the desired outcomes while alleviating much of your frustration.

Leadership Success Formula: Unlocking Employee Engagement and Performance

Formula: Clear Expectations + Actions + Accountability = Increased Probability of Achieving the Desired Business Outcome

 This formula is the key to boosting the likelihood of achieving your desired business outcomes.

Here's how the Leadership Success Formula works:

Set Clear Expectations

• This is the foundation of the leadership formula. It involves communicating what you need from your team in a straightforward and concise manner.

• Instead of overwhelming your employees with every expectation, focus on the one with the highest priority and most significant business impact.

• Clarity in your expectations is crucial for employee understanding and engagement.

Identify Three Critical Actions

• Clearly outline three specific actions that the employee can take to achieve the required outcome.
• These actions should be directly linked to the expectations you've set, making the path to success clear and manageable.

Embrace Accountability

• Regularly check in with your employees and hold them accountable for their progress.
• Offer a "freebie" the first time an expectation isn't met, assuming that you may not have communicated clearly. After that, make it clear that the responsibility lies with them.
• Accountability ensures that both you and your employees are aligned and committed to achieving the desired outcomes.

Consistently Track Progress and Maintain Open Communication

• Monitor the positive changes your employees are making, even in small increments. Are they performing better than last week or a month ago?

• Measure their success—if they're currently 56% successful, how can you help them reach 65%?

• Frequent and clear communication is vital to sustaining progress and keeping everyone on track.

Remember: Leadership is a Marathon, Not a Sprint

Aligning, engaging, and guiding employees to achieve the best business outcomes is a continuous process. It often requires learning new skills and unlearning outdated methods and behaviors that no longer serve the business's evolving goals. As your go-to partner in this journey, we emphasize the importance of adapting and refining leadership strategies to meet your team's changing needs.

You'll enhance your leadership effectiveness by consistently applying this formula and embracing both learning and unlearning. With dedication and persistence, this approach improves performance, fosters a more engaged and productive workforce, and helps you become the best leader you can be.

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About the Author

I'm Erin Merideth, a Leadership & Talent Strategy Expert dedicated to guiding senior executives and Centers of Excellence at S&P 100 companies to create innovative workforce development practices. With over 25 years of executive experience, I've had a front-row seat to large organizations' behind-the-scenes dynamics and unwritten rules. I've coached some of the world's top business leaders, helping them strategically reach their goals while maintaining balance in their lives. I understand what it's like to feel frustrated at work because I've been there too — making it to the top and learning countless lessons along the way. My approach is practical, rooted in empathy, and focused on helping you succeed at both work and life by making strategic, empowering decisions.

To keep up with Erin, Subscribe to the Work Reimagined Blog or follow Unlearning Work on Facebook, Instagram, or  LinkedIN.

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