The document provides 10 ways for leaders to engage and connect with employees. It discusses strategies such as valuing and inspiring employees, asking open-ended questions, recognizing employees for their work, asking for input and feedback, being an authentic role model, using performance reviews to motivate, sharing personal stories, embracing conflict, and managing conversations purposefully. The overall message is that applying these engagement strategies can significantly improve how employees interact with and connect to their leader.

1. © 2014 The Grossman Group
DAVID GROSSMAN,
ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, Founder & CEO
@ThoughtPartner
LIKE A CEO
HOW TO
10 Best Ways to Engage and Connect
with Employees
© 2016 The Grossman Group

2. 2© 2014 The Grossman Group
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA helps leaders drive productivity and get the results they want
through authentic and courageous leadership communication, a sought-after speaker and advisor to
Fortune 500 leaders. A three-time author, David’s latest book, “No Cape Needed: The Simplest,
Smartest, Fastest Steps To Improve How You Communicate By Leaps and Bounds” was published in the
fall of 2015 and recently won the Pinnacle book award for the “Best in Business” category. His other
books include, “You Can’t NOT Communicate: Proven Communication Solutions That Power the Fortune
100,” and its follow-up, “You Can’t NOT Communicate 2.”
David is CEO of The Grossman Group, an award-winning Chicago-based strategic leadership
development and internal communication consultancy; clients include: DuPont Pioneer, Eastman
Chemical Company, Lockheed Martin, McDonald’s, Motel 6 and Tyco, to name a few.
A frequent media source for his expert commentary and analysis on employee and leadership issues,
David was recently featured on “NBC Nightly News,” CBS MoneyWatch, WSJ.com, TODAY.com, in the
Chicago Tribune and the LA Times.
@ThoughtPartner© 2016 The Grossman Group

3. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
3© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
Great leaders don’t just manage employees; they make sure employees are
motivated, engaged and inspired when coming to work. Overlooking these principles
can result in disengagement, loss of valuable employees, increased anxiety and
poor decision making, among other challenges.
By not engaging with your employees, you could be missing out on key benefits that
can contribute to everyone’s success.
Following are 10 things you can do to create better relationships with your
employees and increase engagement.

4. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
4© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
1. Value and inspire employees
Employees need to feel inspired and valued at work. That’s part of your role.
Organizations aren’t great at motivating people; leaders are. Take seriously your
responsibility to provide the information that people need to do their jobs well, plus the
inspiration to encourage something extra – whether that’s extra time, brainpower or effort.

5. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
5© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
2. Ask open-ended questions to create dialogue
Every time you are in front of an employee, whether one-on-one or in a group, you have an
opportunity to increase that engagement through dialogue. Unlike questions that give people
limited options for response, open-ended questions encourage employees to express their
perspectives. Asking open-ended questions also recognizes that others might have different
perspectives from yours. When you listen to what employees have to say, showing interest
and respect for their input, it shows you care and the impact can be significant.

6. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
6© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
3. Recognize and motivate employees for doing their job
The most effective leaders know that the only way to get things done and move a business
forward is through people. Recognize the behaviors you want to see more of. Share
appreciation for a task well done and reward employees who exhibit your desired behaviors. It
doesn’t cost anything and will reap rewards now and in the future.

7. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
7© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
4. Ask for input, feedback & suggestions
To truly move employees to action, we have to know what they care about and get into their
mindset. Stop talking so much. Ask for input and feedback. People are more likely to support
what they help create. Stop the monologues and talking at your employees; facilitate real,
two-way conversations.

8. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
8© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
5. Be a role model
You’re aware that employees listen to what you say, and pay close attention to what you do. The
reality is that when it comes to keeping employees engaged, body language speaks first, and
often louder than words. Reflect on what others are seeing in you and develop the awareness
not only to act the role of the leader you want to be, but to role model the actions and
characteristics that you would like to see in others.

9. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
9© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
6. Make the performance review a chance to inspire
If the annual performance review is a check-
off-the-box activity, you’re missing a key
opportunity to engage and motivate your
employees.
Ask important questions to gain valuable
information and help your employees feel
valued and appreciated.
Here are some questions you can ask:
• What needs to happen to make this
meeting highly motivating for you?
• What can I do to help you improve?
• What do you want most from your job?

10. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
10© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
7. Share stories to connect on a personal level
Employees don’t want to follow leaders
who they don’t really know and
understand. It’s difficult to get anywhere
with your team if they don’t see you as
a real person who’s not perfect, but
who has a real vision for the company.
One of the key ways to help people get
to know you is by sharing stories about
yourself and connecting with
employees on a personal level.

11. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
11© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
8. Be authentic
When you ask employees, they want to
be able to connect with their leader—
today more than ever before.
Employees want to know what you
have to say; they also want to know
what you stand for. Authenticity starts
with self-awareness. You need to know
yourself and be comfortable being
yourself with your employees.

12. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
12© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
9. Embrace conflict
Having tough conversations and
communicating difficult topics is part of a
leader’s job. The principle I share with
leaders who avoid conflict is simply this: go
toward the conflict. It’s only through what
might feel like “rupture” that “repair” can
happen. That’s the upside of conflict
handled well—improved relationships and
trust.

13. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
13© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
10. Manage conversations
It’s important to realize that most
problems in business today lie in
the absence of real
communication, and to understand
the need to facilitate dialogue and
be purposeful in our conversations
with employees and teams. As a
result, you’re able to create shared
meaning and move people to
action.

14. © 2007 David Grossman & Associates
14© 2016 The Grossman Group @ThoughtPartner
By applying these strategies to your leadership approach, you will see a
significant difference in the way your employees connect and interact with
you.

15. 15© 2014 The Grossman Group
Sought after speaker to leading organizations and forums:
• What to Do When You CAN’T NOT Communicate
• Turning Strategy Into Action
• Top 10 Mistakes Communicators Make
• How to Think Like a CEO
• Cutting to Win: How to Get Employees on Your Side During Cost
Cuts
• Authenticity
• 21st Century Communications: Successful Strategies to Deliver
Authentic Communication
• Tackling “Email Overload” On A Global Scale
• The Power of Internal Branding: The Communicator’s Secret
Weapon
• The Power of Storytelling
• Communication Training for Leaders at all Levels
POPULAR KEYNOTES & TRAININGS:
*All keynotes and corporate trainings are customized to meet unique business needs
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works to inspire and engage
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David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA
Founder & CEO
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