March 2020
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Working With a Disengaged Colleague

Monday, March 9, 2020

Working with a disengaged employee can be taxing, particularly if you love your job. However, there are ways to collaborate with less motivated colleagues that can help bring them up while keeping you sane. First, don’t make assumptions about their performance. While there is a link between performance and engagement, that doesn’t mean a disengaged colleague will automatically perform poorly. Your reaction to working with a disengaged partner will likely dictate the outcome. If you expect them to fail, they’re far less likely to succeed. Second, don’t force someone to be something they are not. The simple truth is not everyone is going to be passionate about their job. Some people are just wired to be more critical and cynical than others, and requiring they go against their nature is going to make matters worse. Don’t expect them to put on a smile and be chipper at 8:30 in the morning. Instead, try focusing on what the employee values. Engagement has to do with being fully present, and that has a lot to do with what people consider important. Get to know this worker better and try to find common ground.

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This post resonates with me. We don't know what is going on with someone until we ask. There are many circumstances--personal, past work environments and perception issues that can top the list. To build trust, we first must engage with others.
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Leaders and managers need to learn and understand disengaged employees. Truly disengaged employees have a dramatic effect on the success of any organization.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgU0S1pvYOU&feature=youtu.be
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