Ready? Set? Engage!: A Field Guide for Employees to Create Their Own Culture of Participation and Implement Innovative Ideas

All employees want themselves and their colleagues to be better engaged at work, but most just can’t get past the talking stage to actually developing an effective plan. This book is a step-by-step "how-to" guide for those who develop and complete projects – not just supervisors and continuous improvement professionals. Like instructions for "assembly required" projects, this book takes you one step at a time into creating a project that makes your work easier, better, and more satisfying.

This book identifies the benefits of―and strategies for―developing engaged employees who will implement and sustain your Lean processes. You will learn and practice tools for creating and sustaining engagement and how to align your goals with your strategy, ensuring that your desired future becomes a reality.

In addition, after reading this book, you’ll be able to:

• Recognize barriers to building engaged teams and individuals, and then select strategies for overcoming these hurdles.
• Practice communication and team relationship skills that will help you to nurture long-term process improvements.
• Gain information about key listening skills, as well as steps to enhance recognition systems.

In 1990, Janis Allen established Performance Leadership Consulting to help organizations of all sizes improve performance and develop people. Performance Leadership Consulting stands on the shoulders of their successful consulting careers with manufacturing, service, financial, government, and nonprofit organizations. Janis has held the positions of: Vice President and Performance Consultant for Aubrey Daniels International; Corporate Management Trainer and Performance Consultant for Milliken & Company; Plant Personnel Manager, Milliken & Company. Janis was keynote speaker at the National Conference of the Association for Employee Recognition. Drawing on three decades of experience, Janis Allen helps organizations:

• Develop newly promoted supervisors and team leaders.
• Equip supervisors and managers with skills to improve their teams’ performance
• Define authority and responsibility
• Set goals, develop plans for productive behaviors, and give feedback and coaching.
• Create a positive recognition system to motivate teams and individuals.
• Create a positive culture of trust, teamwork, and performance excellence.