For Your Company to Thrive, Your People Must Thrive

By Corry Robertson (Canada)

Why do you need to think about Future Proof Leadership?

According to Gallup, 84% of Canadian workers are either not engaged or actively disengaged. The Business Development Bank of Canada is warning that Canada is experiencing a labour shortage that will likely last a decade. Companies that can’t attract a workforce or engage employees will face stagnation or demise.

Leaders need to know how to build a workplace culture that will set their companies apart as an employer of choice. This report will reveal how.

Part 1: Employee Engagement Not an Issue for You? Think again.

‘What is your focus for today’s call?’ I asked David my client of several weeks. David is an employee in the accounting department of a printing company employing almost 200 people. I was hired to coach several members of this organisation, some of whom were HIPOs which is short for high potential employees. Then there were the employees like David. David was in the group that was on individual performance improvement plans.

To my opening question, he responded: ‘I don’t know. I haven’t given it any thought. Sorry.’ The ‘sorry’ did not sound apologetic at all, but dismissive.

‘What would make this conversation a really productive use of your time?’ I asked

‘I don’t know. What would you suggest?’ David replied as though lobbing the ball back into my court.

Not a coach to allow my clients to get me to do their work for them I reminded David that: ‘A coaching conversation isn’t about me telling you what you should focus on. My job is to help you figure out where you want to go and how you want to get there.’ Then I tried again ‘If you could walk away with one golden nugget to make this a productive call for you, what would that look like to you?’

Source: iCN Issue 26  (Life Coaching); pages 61-74