The Engagement Equation: Leadership Strategies for an Inspired Workforce

"A thorough and helpful review of what engagement really means, how it evolves, and the leadership that it requires, written in clear and practical terms by three highly experienced consultants."
ROB GOFFEE, Professor of Organisational Behaviour, London Business School

"This book is full of insights and actions appropriate for today′s generation of work and workers. It strongly advances the fundamental ideas upon which Buck and I founded BlessingWhite. Thanks for writing so clearly about the why and how–to of the engagement equation."
TOD WHITE, PHD, cofounder, BlessingWhite, Inc.

"Employee engagement is a global business strategy. Companies throughout the GCC and Middle East will benefit from the innovative ideas described in this book."
SALEH HUSSIN FADAQ, Director of Capital Development Center, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department

"BlessingWhite′s book on employee engagement provides practical guidance and tips for organizations to incorporate into their talent management strategies. With this research, companies can move beyond simply measuring engagement. It will help them better align employees with management′s goals and improve communication throughout the company. These all contribute to higher levels of business performance."
DAVE DeFILIPPO, Chief Learning Officer, BNY Mellon Asset Management

"We are all about creative business ideas, and great ideas come from fully engaged people. This is a practical and readable guide that will help executives understand a sometimes elusive topic: how to create a culture of engagement to deliver superior business results."
DONNA MURPHY, Global Chief Executive Officer, Havas Worldwide Health

Preface: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants The Legacy of Buck Blessing and Tod White v

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction ix

Chapter 1 What Is Engagement Anyway? 1

Chapter 2 The Five Levels of Engagement 21

Chapter 3 Global Insights and Macro Trends 39

Chapter 4 Shared Accountability and Daily Priority 63

Chapter 5 A Dead Battery Can t Jump–Start Another 91

Chapter 6 Culture 103

Chapter 7 Seems Kind of Obvious: Align Your Employees! 139

Chapter 8 Dialogue and Empowerment Trump Action Planning 159

Chapter 9 Career Development 183

Chapter 10 Measuring ROI 211

Chapter 11 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Engagement Surveys 229

Chapter 12 Final Considerations 251

Appendix 269

Interviews and Contributors 285

Endnotes 291

Index 299

CHRISTOPHER RICE is the President and CEO of global consulting firm BlessingWhite, which helps create high–performance cultures that drive results and reinforce organizational values. Recognized in each of the last two years as a "Top 100" thought leader by Leadership Excellence, Chris′s expertise is regularly featured in business and human capital media.

FRASER MARLOW is the Vice President of Marketing & Research at BlessingWhite. He leads the team that conducts and publishes regular research on workplace issues.

MARY ANN MASARECH is the employee engagement practice leader at BlessingWhite. She translates research insights into pragmatic development tools and content that are currently in use at hundreds of organizations worldwide.