Employee Engagement: Lessons From My Leadership Journey
I first came across the term Employee Engagement in 2009, when I joined Intuit. The company measured engagement through its Annual Employee Survey, and I was fascinated by the idea behind it. Since then, employee engagement has been a cornerstone of my leadership philosophy.
As I learnt more, I explored emotional intelligence and paid close attention to the leaders I worked with, observing the behaviours that brought out the best in people and those that didn’t. These observations helped me shape my own understanding of employee engagement.
But it was all theory until I started managing teams. I soon realised that practical experience teaches you things that reading and observation alone cannot. One of my earliest lessons was that managing my own emotions was just as important as managing a team. How I responded to a situation could influence how others experienced it.
Over the years, these experiences have shaped the principles I follow as a leader. Here are seven that have stayed with me.
1. Growth means different things to different people
Growth matters to many people, but what it looks like can vary. For one person, it might mean taking on a bigger role. For another, it could mean mastering a skill, gaining confidence or finding a better balance.
Understanding what growth means to each individual, and being genuine about creating opportunities for it, makes a difference.
2. One size doesn't fit all
Every individual has different needs and priorities. Understanding them is important, but so is balancing them with organisational demands.
The two won’t always align. When they don’t, being transparent about the constraints and trade-offs matters. We may not always be able to meet an individual’s expectations, but we can help them understand why.
3. Self-awareness shapes how we lead
Our emotions and biases can influence our behaviour and decisions, often without us realising it. Others may notice them more clearly than we do.
I’ve learnt that being aware of my own reactions gives me a choice in how I respond. Pausing to understand what’s driving a reaction can change how a conversation unfolds and how a situation is handled.
4. Trust is built through everyday behaviour
Trust grows through consistency, fairness and keeping our commitments. It also means creating an environment where people can raise concerns, disagree respectfully and admit mistakes without fear of being penalised.
People should be able to speak up without worrying that doing so will be held against them.
4. Trust is built through everyday behaviour
Trust grows through consistency, fairness and keeping our commitments. It also means creating an environment where people can raise concerns, disagree respectfully and admit mistakes without fear of being penalised.
People should be able to speak up without worrying that doing so will be held against them.
5. Feedback loses value when it comes too late
Both recognition and constructive feedback matter, but timing makes a difference. When feedback arrives weeks or months after an event, the opportunity to learn from it may already have passed.
I’ve seen leaders put off difficult conversations because they feel uncomfortable having them. But timely, specific feedback, given with the intention of helping someone grow, is more useful than avoiding the conversation. The same applies to recognition. When someone makes a meaningful contribution, let them know.
6. Explain the why behind difficult decisions
Reprioritising projects or moving people between teams is part of leadership. These decisions may be necessary, but they can leave people frustrated when they don’t understand the reasoning.
Explaining the context and trade-offs helps people see the bigger picture, even when the outcome isn’t what they wanted. It also gives them an opportunity to ask questions and share concerns.
7. Engagement needs follow-through
Engagement isn’t something we address once a year when survey results arrive. It needs ongoing attention.
Conversations, feedback and surveys can help us understand how people experience their work. But asking for feedback is only the beginning. What matters is what we do with it.
We may not be able to address every concern, and some issues need organisational action beyond the team. But we can acknowledge what we’ve heard, be clear about what can change, and communicate progress. Without follow-through, asking for feedback loses its meaning.
While leaders may not control every factor, how we treat people and respond to their needs makes a difference. And that shows up in our everyday actions.