Applause from others shouldn’t be our goal, although it feels fantastic to receive.
Engagement of others should be our goal, although it can feel messy and even difficult to obtain.
When we seek applause, we put the focus on us, our team, our performance, our sense of perfection. We present statistics and stories that make us look good. We only unveil what is working well, regardless of the holes, gaps, or ineffective efforts that also are present. We put on a show.
But, when we seek engagement, we put the focus on our organization’s mission, our cause, and our opportunity to make the world better. Which means, we share with others the areas in which our organization is lacking or under performing, or less-than-perfect. We don’t present perfection as much as we share opportunities to help.
Engagement means that others bring their full selves to the mission. It means we must manage different, sometimes competing perspectives, different ideas, different personalities, different strategies, and different influences. For this reason it is messy, difficult to negotiate, and awkward at times.
Here is the difference, though.
After people applaud us, they leave because the show is over.
But, after people feel engaged, they stay because our mission has become theirs.
