Is Your “Walk” Engaging Others?

My recent shopping trip to buy a new pair of running shoes included a crash course in biomechanics and an analysis of my stride or gait.  I discovered that gait analysis has a long history and tradition – looking at how a person stands and walks.  But technology advancements including miniature sensors, small wearable data collection devices, and cloud technology are opening up new, exciting possibilities.  Besides high-tech running shoes, gait analysis is being used to help Cerebral Palsy and Parkinson’s disease patients; in the treatment of stroke and spinal cord injuries; and even help predict the ‘fall’ risk of the elderly.       

Would you like the ability to better predict ‘fall’ risks in your organization?  Look no further than how leaders “walk their talk?”  It’s a huge driver of credibility and ultimately influences employees’ commitment, effort, and loyalty.

Here are some critical ‘walk scenarios’ I challenge my clients to assess and take action on to engage high performance.  Would employees say most leaders in your organization are engaging because they:

• Are willing to “walk a mile in employees' shoes” before criticizing them.
• Help staff "walk it off" when disappointments and frustrations arise.
• Get directly involved in employee development helping to ensure employees learn to effectively "walk before they run."
• “Walk ahead of employees” during difficult change and lead by example.
• “Walk tall” when it comes to values-based behavior.
• “Walk around” to help themselves and others solve problems  

Or do many leaders disengage employees in your organization because they:

• Use “walk the plank” techniques when coaching or disciplining employees.
• “Walk all overall” individuals when goals are missed or mistakes happen.   
• "Walk off with” employee ideas and seldom give them any credit.
• Make employees “walk on eggshells.”  Employees have to be overly careful interacting with leaders and/or are very cautious giving them candid feedback.
• “Walk away from” controversy with other workgroups and abandon their team.

 It’s estimated that elderly “fall” injuries cost more than $20B annually in the U.S. The cost of leaders not “walking the talk” is even higher because their employees become disconnected, disgruntled, disappointed, and disengaged.

Help leaders hit their stride and engage others.