Many leaders recognize the need to “engage” their employees but still struggle with creating the conditions to make engagement real and productive.
My most valuable leadership lessons weren’t learned in a boardroom or corporate training programs. They came from a much more personal place: the family dinner table.
Family dinners in my family of six children were… let’s just say, “very lively.” But they were also a masterclass in inclusive decision-making and the power of acting on ideas, even if they seemed a little crazy or unrealistic.
My parents, Frank and Flora Tucci, both public-school educators, weren’t just interested in hearing our opinions. They were interested in seeing us participate. Whether it was choosing our next vacation destination, deciding on household rules, or even figuring out how to divide up chores, every voice mattered.
That belief game into play in a decision about where to play baseball. Growing up, my brothers and I, along with some neighborhood kids, always played our baseball games in the green space in front of our house. One day, our parents informed us we had to stop playing there because some neighbors had complained about balls hitting their parked cars. To play, we’d have to travel to a park a good bike ride away.
Of course, we all whined about how unfair it was. Then, one of my brothers piped up with an idea: “Let’s just make our own field in the desert!” He was referring to an empty sandlot at the end of our street—a barren patch of dirt and rocks, without a blade of grass in sight.
It seemed like a crazy idea, but my dad, to his credit, handed us the garden tools and said, “Go for it.” We spent a day pulling weeds, raking rocks, and trying to create a makeshift baseball diamond. We ended up playing one game there tripping over rocks and ruts and quickly realized the bike-ride away park was a much better option. But at least now it was our choice, not the neighbors’.
Of course, many of our ideas were short-lived experiments. But these “failures” were valuable learning experiences. We were encouraged to try new things, and to learn from our mistakes. We were given the opportunity to take ownership of our decisions, and that made all the difference.
From Family Dynamics to Empowering Effective Action
Years later, as I began working with organizations, I saw a similar pattern repeating itself. Companies would invest in employee engagement programs, but often with disappointing results. They’d ask for input, but they wouldn’t create the effective processes or provide the leadership support needed to act on that input. They were creating an illusion of engagement, not true empowerment.
This is where the Ideas-to-Action Process, detailed in my new book, makes a difference. It helps leaders to move beyond simply “listening” to their employees’ ideas to creating a structured yet flexible framework for empowering effective action.
It’s built upon five foundational beliefs. “Empowering Effective Action” is a core belief that inspired my work in employee engagement and is fundamental to delivering results. Just as my parents didn’t just listen to our ideas around the dinner table—they encouraged us to act on them—leaders need to create an environment where employees are not just heard, but are given the authority to act, learn from their actions, and be both accountable and rewarded for the results.
This is the engine of employee-powered innovation.
However, empowering effective action requires discipline and a process to avoid running “off the rails.”
Leaders must:
- Truly Value Every Voice: Actively solicit input from all levels of the organization, recognizing that valuable insights can come from anywhere. This means creating a safe space for sharing ideas, even if those ideas seem unconventional or initially impractical.
- Align Ideas with Needed Action: Ensure that employee engagement efforts are directly connected to the organization’s strategic goals, and that employees have the authority and resources to implement their solutions. This requires a clear process for evaluating, prioritizing, and resourcing employee ideas.
- Focus on Quick Wins: Start with small, manageable projects that can demonstrate tangible results and build momentum. Leaders need to “start where the energy is”—identifying the areas where employees can make a difference and where immediate improvements can be made.
- Encourage Learning from Both Successes and Failures: Create a culture of experimentation, where employees feel safe to try new things and learn from their mistakes. Just like our makeshift baseball field, not every idea will be a home run. But every attempt provides valuable learning.
The dinner table taught me that every voice matters—and that effectively empowering those voices to act is the key to unlocking true potential. It all starts with creating the right environment, and the right process. Are you ready to bring those lessons to your organization?
