Mind Spark #14 - Leadership Is the Engagement Engine
- Shujian Zhang
- Jun 1
- 2 min read
Inspired by a speech on building an unstoppable team by Scott J. Medeiros
"The manager or team leader alone accounts for 70% of the variance in team engagement." -Gallup, State of the American Manager Report (2015).
This Friday during lunch, I had the chance to attend a fantastic talk at RTP by Scott J. Medeiros on how to build an unstoppable team. His message resonated deeply: leadership is not just about direction, it is about influence, through engagement, trust, people development, and long-term growth.
Scott emphasized the influential role leaders play in fostering employee engagement and creating a culture rooted in people development and learning. One slide stuck with me long after the event: 70% of the variance in team engagement is directly tied to the manager or team leader. That's not just a statistic, but it's a wake-up call.
I've always known that managers and team leads are the engines of an organization, as I’ve shared my thoughts before (Post), but this statement drove it home. Our influence isn't peripheral; it's essential. Our behavior, communication style, and ability to inspire trust and growth can make or break a team's motivation and performance.
As leaders, we often focus on strategy, capability development, or project timelines, but we may overlook how we show up for our teams. We should understand that our tone can shift the energy of a Monday morning meeting. Our clear expectations and genuine feedback can transform the team's confusion into motivation. Our effective coaching and growth mindset can help people grow and thrive. Most importantly, we should lead by example and be the leader you wish you had before you became one.
People may join a company for a role, but they may stay or leave due to the leadership, not the work they are doing. We could be the reason someone feels seen, supported, respected, and inspired to grow and contribute.
To organizations: to have thriving teams, first invest in developing thriving leaders.
To team leaders: pause and ask: Am I showing up as the leader my team needs today?
Comments