Improving engagement is one of the greatest challenges leaders face. Consider this: In a company with 200 employees, each working 40 hours a week, there are 8,000 hours of potential productivity every week. Yet, only 1,200 of those hours might come from employees who are fully engaged.

The reality is simple. A company is only as strong as the people within it. Engaged employees drive innovation, collaboration, and results, while disengaged ones can stifle progress.

Here’s a practical A to Z cheat-sheet for boosting team engagement.

Autonomy: Set clear goals and allow team members to choose their path to achieve them. Scheduling regular check-ins ensures preparation, productive meetings, and timely support. Avoid micromanaging. Trust is key.

Behavior: Lead by example. Be consistent in your actions, hold everyone equally accountable, and avoid favoritism. A fair leader inspires morale and commitment.

Challenge: Offer growth opportunities for every team member, including top performers. Stretching skills helps avoid monotony and provides tangible evidence of success.

Disengagement: Writing emails over the weekend? Schedule them to send on Monday morning. Allowing employees to disconnect fosters work-life balance and prevents burnout.

Empathy: Step into your team members’ shoes to understand their motivations. Align your leadership style to their personalities. Listening builds trust and makes people feel valued.

Flow: Help your team maintain focus and productivity by minimizing interruptions. Prioritize essential meetings and dedicate time for silent work to foster flow and efficiency.

Give: Feedback matters. For every critique, offer two positives. Start with what went well, then discuss areas for improvement. Constructive feedback builds confidence and skills.

Hello! and How are you?: Don’t skip casual conversations. Talking about non-work topics shows genuine interest in people. It’s essential for building rapport and strengthening relationships.

Inspire: Knowing your team’s personal and professional stressors allows you to remove barriers and encourage optimal performance. Inspire through empathy and understanding.

Jackal Language: Avoid blame, criticism, and judgment. Trust is cultivated with non-violent communication: observe, connect, and request with authenticity.

Keep It Short and Simple: Simplify complex ideas. Vague communication leads to frustration and inefficiency. Clarity is crucial for engagement.

Leadership Lessons: Leadership requires action. Applying insights from books and coaching transforms theory into practice. If results fall short, consider seeking guidance to improve.

Meaningful Work: With five generations in the workforce, meaningful work often surpasses salary as a motivator. Create a culture that supports diverse needs and shared purpose.

Nonverbal Communication: Body language, tone, and gestures are integral to effective communication. Ensure alignment between your nonverbal and verbal messages.

Opportunities: Engage employees by offering involvement in new assignments or cross-functional projects. Avoid burnout or bore-out by challenging and energizing your team.

Perfectionism: Authenticity matters. Don’t hide flaws, embrace them. Rough edges make leaders relatable and foster trust. Concealing negative behaviors breeds frustration.

Questions: Open-ended questions uncover root causes of challenges. Collaborative problem-solving encourages ownership and commitment.

Respect: Appreciate differences in your team. Diverse perspectives, even those you don’t share, can spark creativity and deepen understanding.

Storytelling: Use narratives to connect emotionally and intellectually. Stories shift perspectives, inspire action, and foster shared purpose.

Thumbs Up: Specific and authentic compliments boost morale. Praise doesn’t always come naturally, but its impact is invaluable in building engagement.

Understand: Tailor communication and recognition to each team member. Individualized approaches improve understanding and connection.

Values: Alignment between team and company values fosters engagement and drives a common goal.

What Do You Propose?: Empower your team by asking for their ideas and solutions. Collaboration strengthens ownership and innovation.

X-Factor: Cultivate humility in leadership. Self-awareness, valuing contributions, and openness to feedback drive personal growth and team success.

Yes, And: Replace “Yes, but” with “Yes, and” to foster collaboration and opportunity. Positive framing keeps conversations forward-focused.

Zig-Zag: Prepare your team to embrace change confidently. Flexibility is essential for navigating challenges and opportunities.