It’s easier to connect with things if you can relate them to a real life experience than just having an acquaintance.
Imagine the difference it would make if you can wake up every day and be excited about going out to the office and getting your work done, or looking forward to the next class with that university professor because of the people you are likely to meet. People who make you smile and share your aspirations. Imagine making progress and getting everyone excited about being friends with you, helping you solve problems, expressing their new ideas and taking care of your business. That is the spirit of engagement. When we trust and respect the people around us and connect with them, naturally they reciprocate and respond with commitment and enthusiasm.
When a friend, a course mate or an employee buys something, they take ownership and say things like “we are successfully implementing a new Programmeme” but when there is no engagement, they remove themselves from the equation and allow the system go through them. Where there is no engagement, people say things like, “They don’t pay us well or this university is not working for us”. When people are truly connected with you, they use words like, “we” but where there is a dissatisfaction they used “They”. Here are a few tips to staying engaged at all times.
Fit – A person who fits with an organization/academic institution may find that the people there have a background like his own or that the work being done is the kind of work he’s trained for and enjoys doing it. He fits in with the company or university.
Belongingness – Here, an individual feel that he/she belongs to the system—that it’s a place that shares their values, where they can enjoy their work and find motivation and reward. Together, fit and belongingness produce positive outcomes.
Integration – Once people feel they belong, they become an integral part of the system. Rather than being just a part, the system becomes a part of who they are.