Drive Success…or Foster Engagement? Do you feel as a leader you have to choose one over the other? In the Crucial Conversations world, that’s called the “Fool’s Choice.” Any time we put the word or between two options instead of the word and, we’ve made the Fool’s Choice, whereby the balance tips one direction or the other. We believe it’s not possible to achieve both…the and.
Let’s put some context to each of these because reality is that one is dependent upon the other. They’re not exclusive. Both are necessary to keep the balance.
SUCCESS as a leader means helping to drive results and achieve milestones. It’s about accomplishment—accomplishment of quality care delivery, financial goals, strategic objectives, market share growth, patient satisfaction. Success is the “what” of the work. A positive end result. Metrics are often involved.
ENGAGEMENT is all about the “how.” In leadership, it’s about hiring, developing, and fostering the right attitudes and behaviors that allow for results to be accomplished. It’s guiding efficient processes, setting up the work environment in a way that supports the work rather than hinders it, addressing needs, growing people, and providing support. (Boy, that sounds a bit like Servant Leadership!).
There is a third element—PURPOSE—that definitely comes into play. It represents the “why.” Success and Engagement have no need to exist without Purpose. Our tug of war usually isn’t with the Purpose. We typically agree on its importance. Where the Fool’s Choice rears its ugly head and imbalance occurs is when deciding whether to push harder on the side of Success or the side of Engagement.
What happens when, as leaders, we focus primarily just on results—productivity, net margin, expanding services, doing more with less, implementing sweeping changes one after another, etc.? Perhaps like me you’ve seen it callous the service and compassion of those delivering care. If it goes on long, stress rises. Burnout initiates. Turnover goes up. Finger-pointing, blame, and distrust prevail. Silos develop. The “care” in healthcare suffers.
Conversely, what happens in organizations or departments where leaders elevate the importance of engagement over results? Yes, employees may be happy and feel supported. That’s good! But how is the organization doing? Financial outcomes slide, services stagnate, quality diminishes.
Accountability requires attention to both achieving results and (notice the “and” here) supporting the people doing the work. Organizations who learn how to balance both rise above the others. They flourish.
Does your leadership have balance? If not, which side do you lean toward—driving Success or fostering Engagement? What would it take to shift toward the middle?
Agreed, there are times when Success or Engagement may need to take precedence over the other. Monitor how long that continues. In short periods, it may be necessary. Over long periods, be watchful for slipping from the other side.
When faced with needing to choose, ask yourself these questions (or if you are a supervisor of other leaders, coach their development with these questions):
- In this circumstance, is there a need to prioritize one over the other—Success vs Engagement? Is it indeed necessary or am I making a Fool’s Choice?
- If one must have priority, how long do I anticipate this to be needed?
- What signs should I be looking for to tell me the focus has shifted too long?
- What efforts can be taken to uphold the other side while this temporary shift is required?
- When telling others which one is driving the task currently being asked of them, how can I explain the reasoning in a way they can understand and support?
- What reassurances can I offer in that moment that this is not intended to be long-term?
- How can I engage them in being safe to share their concerns if they notice “slipping” from the other side?
Keeping the balance between Success and Engagement is no easy task. It’s a daily tug between the two. Preventing the scales from tipping too far one direction or the other is the key to thriving organizations.
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“Leadership is a balance between managing the business and leading people.” - Jennifer V. Miller
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Explore these workshops and programs offered by our RWHC Education Team to improve your skills of Keeping Balance:
- Culture: Constructing the Right Departmental or Organizational Culture Brick by Brick
- Culture Matters: Building Blocks for a Retention Culture
- Servant Leadership
- Walk the Talk: Leadership Accountability
To learn more, visit: https://www.rwhc.com/Services/Educational-Services/Leadership-Series or email me at csearles@rwhc.com.
Consider joining our Leadership Bites program: https://www.rwhc.com/Services/Educational-Services/Leadership-Bites
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Corrie Searles, MPT, Leadership Development Educator
In Corrie’s role as Leadership Development Educator at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC), her aim is to empower leaders—formal and informal—to create positive influence that enables others to serve well.
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