Recent findings from Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace report show the need to enhance manager engagement. 

The research found only 16% are extremely satisfied at work, 31% are engaged and over half (55%) are looking for a new job. And when managers are disengaged so are their direct reports, with 70% of the variance in team engagement attributed to the manager.

Given that engaged managers are vital for wider employee engagement which, in turn, enables numerous organisational benefits, it's important to consider how we can better support and equip our management-level people to nurture happy, high-performing teams. 

This article offers five ways to equip your managers with effective strategies that are both useful and productive, as well as being engaging for the managers who are using them. 

The five core managerial concepts are: 

• The Groove, Edge, Home model of organisational culture
• Polarity mapping
• The Cynefin framework 
• Coaching skills 
• Action Learning Sets

I’ve seen these frameworks engage managers whether they’re leading a three person department, or are part of a 50 person management team within a larger corporate setting. 

Let’s dive right in.

The Groove, Edge, Home culture model by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey

The Groove, Edge, Home framework emphasises the balance between stability and innovation within teams. “Groove” refers to established practices, routines and processes that create stability, “Edge” represents the innovative and exploratory activities that cultivate learning and development, and “Home” is the supportive and trusting environment that good teamwork occurs within.

Encourage your managers to experiment with the following:

1. Groove: Identify and document key processes and routines that work well within the team. Encourage adherence to these processes to build stability.

2. Edge: Set aside regular time for brainstorming sessions where team members can propose and discuss new ideas and demonstrate that you support their efforts to try out new things.

3. Home: Hold weekly check-ins with team members to offer support and address any concerns they may have; be OK with talking about mental health during these check-ins.

By understanding and implementing this balanced approach to management, managers can create an engaging work environment that values both efficiency and creativity.

Effective coaching skills are crucial for managers

Polarity Mapping by Barry Johnson

Polarity Mapping is a strategic tool used to manage complex and seemingly opposing forces within an organisation. It involves identifying and balancing apparent opposites which is where the term ‘polarity’ comes from. Characteristics such as centralization or decentralisation, stability or change, and individual or collective are all polarities that must be managed carefully to ensure organisational success. 

Managers are engaged when using this tool as it helps them make sense of challenges and conflicts in new ways, and helps them to discover appropriate responses to unforeseen difficulties.

Encourage your managers to experiment with the following:

1. Identify a key polarity (e.g., flexibility vs. structure) relevant to their team and list the positive aspects of both poles.

2. Engage the team in a discussion to explore how to leverage the benefits of both sides of the polarity.

Managers who master Polarity Mapping can navigate tensions effectively, working to ensure that both sides of a polarity are leveraged for the overall benefit of the team. By supporting managers in this practice, organisations can help them to feel more confident and engaged and better able to solve the challenges that their level of operation frequently faces.

The Cynefin framework by David Snowden

David Snowden’s Cynefin framework provides a way to understand and manage different types of problems based around their order and kind of complexity. The framework categorises problems into five domains: simple, complicated, complex, chaotic, and disorder.

Encourage your managers to experiment with the following:

1. Assess a current issue or project and categorise it into one of the Cynefin domains to determine the appropriate management approach.

2. Use this categorization to guide decision-making and resource allocation, ensuring that strategies align with the nature of the problem.

By using this model, managers can better identify the nature of the challenges they face and apply the appropriate management strategies. This approach not only improves decision-making but also increases manager engagement by providing clarity and reducing the stress associated with uncertainty. Organisations that train managers in the Cynefin framework empower them to lead more effectively generating engagement and resilience.

Coaching Skills

Effective coaching skills are crucial for managers aiming to enhance employee performance and engagement. Coaching involves active listening, providing constructive feedback, and facilitating personal and professional growth. Many managers, in our experience, find this an interesting and useful area of learning and development. Witnessing their own growth into great coaches helps them to feel engaged and excited about their work.

Encourage your managers to experiment with the following:

1. Schedule regular one-on-one meetings focused on the team member’s development goals and progress. Using your coaching questions to help this person think about their next stage of growth.

2. Practise active listening techniques and provide specific, actionable feedback during these sessions, you might also like to check how open to coaching your reports are and give more intense support where necessary.

Managers who adopt a coaching approach can build stronger relationships with their team members, building a more supportive and engaging workforce. By investing in coaching training for managers, organisations can enhance their managers’ engagement and, in turn, drive higher levels of employee engagement throughout the team.

Encourage each member to share their experiences and insights

Action Learning Sets

Action Learning Sets are a collaborative approach to problem-solving where managers work in small groups to tackle real-world / real-work challenges. This method promotes continuous learning, reflection, and peer support and is highly engaging for managers who are open to help and learning alongside their peers.

Encourage your managers to experiment with the following:

1. Form a small group of peers to regularly discuss and solve current challenges each member faces. Use an Action Learning Set format to hold these conversations.

2. Encourage each member to share their experiences and insights, and be clear on what actions are going to be taken as a result of the Action Learning Set. Follow up with each other about new actions managers are committing to.

By participating in Action Learning Sets, managers can gain diverse perspectives, develop new skills, and build a supportive network within their organisation. This collaborative process not only enhances problem-solving capabilities but also boosts manager engagement by creating a sense of community and shared purpose.

Engaged managers are the cornerstone of an engaged workforce

By supporting managers to incorporate these five essential managerial concepts—Groove, Edge, Home; Polarity mapping; the Cynefin framework; Coaching skills; and Action Learning Sets—organisations can create a work environment that fosters engagement at all levels. 

When managers are equipped with the right tools, and feel supported in their development, they are more likely to be engaged. And it is this engagement that cascades down to their teams leading to improved performance, satisfaction, and retention. 

Investing in the engagement of managers is, therefore, a strategic move that can yield significant returns for any organisation.