One of the most common challenges that I hear from coalition leaders is the struggle with engagement. How do I engage my coalition effectively? How can I get more people to engage in the work? Although there is no “one” answer to this question and challenge, there is something that will impact engagement among those who are already engaged. Thankfulness. Join me this week as I share three ways that thankfulness impacts coalition engagement.
Recognizes.
When we recognize and show thankfulness for the contribution of our coalition members, we focus on who is engaged rather than who is not engaged. In our work (and our human nature) we often look for how to improve or what is not working rather than what is working. Last week, I had an opportunity to co-lead an introductory training on CliftonStrengthsⓇ. At the end of the last training, some of the attendees shared that they are leaving the training recognizing what is right with themselves instead of what they need to do better (which is how they have left previous trainings). When we take the time to thank our coalition members for specific efforts, we are recognizing what is right with both them and the coalition. This supports and reinforces engagement in coalition efforts.
Appreciates.
When we thank our coalition members, we demonstrate appreciation for them and the work of the coalition. Most coalition members are unpaid volunteers whose work aligns with the work of the coalition. While their work may be aligned with the coalition overall, this doesn’t mean that they feel appreciated in their work. When we say “thank you,” it shows appreciation for them and builds our relationships with them. Since the work of a coalition is to bring people together to do more than what can be done on our own, a cornerstone of this work is relationships. As we build strong relationships, we encourage and inspire continued engagement.
Reminds.
When we practice showing thankfulness, we remind ourselves and our coalition of the incredible contribution of those who are already with us. When we pause, reflect and thank our coalition, staff, leaders and members, we focus on the positive existing efforts that provide energy and enthusiasm to us and the coalition overall. Although we may want to engage others in our work and sometimes find ourselves frustrated with just a few people doing most of the work, when we say “thank you” to those who are doing most of the work, we remember that we do have some amazing partners willing to work with us right now. By focusing on the positive, we create an environment where more people will want to work with us!
As we are entering a season where we can become easily overwhelmed by all we are doing at work and in the rest of life, check out my free resource, Escape the Overwhelm, for practical actions you can take to find more balance and rhythm in this especially busy season.
Photo by Megan Watson on Unsplash
