At times, organizational life by virtue of its structure has the capacity to stamp out the human spirit. It can shut down the spark of creativity, cramp boldness and individuality and perpetuate mediocrity. The result is a pitiful waste of human potential.  Careers fail to flourish, learning dries up, and opportunities for positive change and growth wither on the vine.

Yet, it is possible to undo the damage and unleash the energy and enjoyment that meaningful, engaging work can bring. I do not think it is naive nor idealistic to believe it is possible for people to go to work with enthusiasm and passion.

In my dream organization, people feel they have a place to experience personal achievement while accomplishing something worthwhile.  They are able to openly speak to anyone, at any level of the organization, because they know they will be heard and respected. As well, they are not afraid to come up with different or even controversial ideas.  People enjoy disagreeing because everyone is open to learning from different points of view. They are all committed to the health and future of the organization.  There is little tension between work and home lives because there is enough fluidity and flexibility for people to meet their private needs while working for the common good.  People take responsibility for their actions and commitments, and they never abuse the trust others place in them. They relish problems and feel empowered to work through challenges with innovative ideas and solutions.  They are deeply engaged in what they do and bring their best selves to work every day.  At the end of the week, they feel more energized than at the beginning.  And, the strength of the organization is reflected in the rewards people earn both psychically and financially.

Why is this so difficult to accomplish in real world organizations?

Are people just too selfish and ego-driven to create and sustain a culture like this?  Or is it that people don’t tend to ask themselves how things could be better, so they continue perpetuating sub-optimization, divisiveness and misery?

Disengagement is the clearest sign of a culture or a career fallen into this kind of slump.

What are the symptoms?

–       clock watching

–       digital distractions

–       unproductive multi-tasking

–       missed deadlines

–       passive aggressive behaviors

–       low participation

–       listlessness

–       absence of controversy or discussion

–       apparent agreement with no follow through

–       office politics

–       lack of laughter

If you recognize yourself or your workplace in this list, take it as a big, red flag.

What would be the impact if you were to do something to re-engage – yourself or others?

Here are five basic “Rules of Engagement”:

1.  The work must pass the “so what?” test. In other words, it must make sense, have a worthwhile purpose and somehow connect to what feels important to the person doing the work. By not meeting such criteria, it will fail the “test” and quickly lead to disengagement.

2.  People’s time should be respected.  Speak succinctly and work efficiently so people are not tempted to mentally check out — particularly during meetings.

3.  Make sure your meetings have agendas, and only invite people who are invested and able to contribute.  For “meeting excellence”, think about how to make the content interesting, and aim to end ten minutes early.

4.  Give people clear expectations and goals, and then let them take responsibility for accomplishing them the best they can.  Hold them accountable, and do not tolerate avoidable mistakes. But, positively recognize failures reflecting a genuine attempt to try groundbreaking innovations.

5.  If you are a manager, show interest in your people’s career development.  How can you help them get the resources they need?  What are new skills they can be developing?  All the bonuses in the world cannot substitute for this personal attention and sense of being cared for.

Fredia Woolf , founder of Woolf Consulting, blogs to help people improve their workplace effectiveness and optimize their careers.  As an organizational consultant and leadership coach, she works with clients to increase insight, inspiration and impact. She can be reached at fwoolf@woolfconsulting.com.

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Last updated on March 6th, 2012 at 09:58 pm