What is Ingaged Leadership?
My new book Ingaging Leadership: A new approach to leading that builds excellence and organizational success was published only last month. I am delighted to report that company leaders are already reporting that they are using Ingaged Leadership, a philosophy that I have developed over my years as a business leader, to bring about real and meaningful change in their organizations.So what is Ingaged Leadership, what does it do, and how can you put it into practice?
Ingagement is a leadership philosophy for those who believe that it is not enough to tell people what to do, but to involve their minds, creativity and even their emotions.
It is built on the belief that when you align people and create an organization where everyone works together in true partnership, that organization becomes vastly more successful.Ingagement isn’t a single action that you take just once. It is an ongoing, dynamic business practice that has the power to transform your organization, your people, you, and ultimately, your success.Ingaged Leadership Involves Everyone In Your Organization Everyone in a company can practice Ingagement – the company leader, but also members of your top leadership team, your middle managers and employees at every organizational level. Ingagement goes beyond the kind of management you will find in many companies today, where top executives and middle managers believe that effective leadership means giving instructions or making demands. Or in some cases, pretending to listen while still practicing strict control instead of openness.Ingagement is different. Ingaged leaders trust people to participate actively in the creation and development of a strategic vision. They openly involve key stakeholders in an ongoing conversation about the organization’s vision and how it can be put into action through planning and follow-through.You develop Ingaged Leadership when, through your attitude and actions, you let people know that you are partnering with them and that you truly listen.Authenticity is key to Ingagement. When you listen sincerely, you cooperatively create plans and practices which are supported by everyone in your organization, which are much more based in reality, and which become vastly more energized than initiatives that have been developed only at the top.
To be clear, Ingagement doesn’t mean having a complete democracy. In most organizations, it is still the role of senior management and the board to make some of the most critical decisions. Yet when people at all levels feel heard, they are more likely to support company plans, even if their own ideas might not have been utilized completely.When people know they have been heard, they are more likely to become invested in their work. They become more eager to continue to share ideas and to cooperate. As a result, the entire organization improves and grows.To Learn More about Ingaging Leadership Please visit the Ingaging Leadership page on Amazon.com, learn more, and consider purchasing a copy for your leadership bookshelf. I will be explaining the concept in more depth in future posts on this blog too, so I hope you stop by to read them. When you do, I hope you will take the time to share a comment or insight about how the philosophy of Ingagement has changed the way you work and lead.