“Engagement is not built on compliance, it’s the product of love, belonging, and vulnerability.” - Brené Brown
Disengagement is the underlying most quoted problem in organisations (and families too). We disengage when we feel like the people who are leading us (boss, colleagues, parents) aren’t living up to their promise. When we’re disengaged, we don’t show up, we do not contribute and, we stop caring…
Disengagement gives us the excuse to rationalise all kinds of unethical behaviours: lying, stealing, cheating.
People want guarantees, and confuse engagement with compliance or postpone it to when they can finally have enough certainty. Engagement means sitting down at the table of work, at the table of life, with our families, colleagues, peers and understanding their worlds, their interests, and their stories.
Engagement takes investing time and energy. The energy of love that creates accountability.
In her book Daring Greatly Brené Brown stated: "If we want people to fully show up, to bring their whole selves including their unarmored, whole hearts—so that we can innovate, solve problems, and serve—we have to be vigilant about creating a culture in which people feel safe, seen, heard, and respected.”
To be able to create such spaces we ourselves have to feel seen, heard, safe, respected… Let’s all practice a new way of being (being vulnerably human) at the table together to transform how we do things. The shift to partnership in work is relevant to us all as it unleashes full intelligence and creativity creating workplaces that are nourishing rather than depleting.
It won’t be easy but if we can transform how we engage to one another and our way of being accountable (both as individuals and collectively) we can support each other along the way.
If you’re interested in learning more about RNEWB services and would like to discuss any consultancy, workshops, and talks, drop us a line at fateme@rnewb.com.
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