Knowing When to Unleash Employee Wisdom
A leader’s guide for starting right and starting fast
“If a man knows not to which port he sails,
no wind is favorable.”
—Seneca, Roman philosopher¹
Chapter at a glance: Most leaders recognize the power of frontline wisdom but struggle with knowing exactly when and how to tap it effectively. This chapter provides a precision planning framework that helps leaders avoid both the rigid-method trap explored in Chapter Two and the equally dangerous trap of pursuing engagement for engagement’s sake. Learn how knowing exactly when and how to involve employees creates the foundation for sustainable change, setting up the sprint-based execution methods introduced in Chapter Four.
MY COLLEAGUE MIKE witnessed a revealing moment providing insight into the challenge of employee engagement. At a company awards ceremony, a frontline warehouse team had just presented impressive results: simple changes that dramatically improved order fulfillment accuracy while cutting costs. Their CEO was ecstatic, praising the team and enthusiastically supporting their ideas for sustaining the gains.
When the CEO invited team members to share their thoughts, a veteran employee raised her hand. After a brief, uncomfortable pause, she asked a question that exposed a fundamental flaw in how most organizations approach engagement: “’Thanks for the opportunity to share our ideas, but what took you so long to let us act on them?”
This pointed question highlights what most leaders miss: engagement isn’t about asking for ideas—it’s about creating real opportunities for employees to drive meaningful change. Without this, even the best-intentioned engagement efforts become exercises in frustration.
Find out how to know when and how to engage the frontline to achieve measurable returns and happier employees.
Take the first step by ordering Ideas to Action.
