What words come to mind when you think of a successful leader?
Take a moment to think about this.
Did the word "engaged" come to mind? If not, it's time to add it to your list of good leadership qualities.
You may be asking yourself, "What does "engaged" actually means in terms of leadership?"
But before we get into that, let's talk about the difference between being engaged and engaging.
Visually, the only difference between the words "engaged" and "engaging" are the ending letters. But in reality, there is a big difference between the two.
We can see the differences between being engaged and being engaging on social media all the time.
For example, you may post a picture of you on your latest and greatest vacation to be engaging in hopes your followers engage by liking and commenting on your post.
See the difference?
You are engaging by posting a picture, and others engage by liking and commenting on it.
So how can being engaged make a difference, and why is it so important?
Zig Ziegler once said, "You can have everything you want in this world if you help enough other people get what they want."
Do you love it when someone notices you and takes the time to engage with you?
The answer is most likely yes.
People love people who are cheerleaders for them, and when you engage with those around you, you are doing just that!
So how exactly do you successfully engage with others?
The good news is that we have some really easy and great tricks to help you out!
Ask Questions:
Asking questions is a great way to start conversations and to show that you care!
Be Consistent:
It's really important to be consistent. You don't want to be this really interested and engaged person one day and then completely silent the next. Always show that you are interested in those around you consistently.
Celebrate Achievements:
Did you hear about someone else's achievements through social media? Go offline and personally congratulate them and talk to them about it!
Be Authentic:
Be you! The people you are engaging with will greatly appreciate this. Trust us.
Share Stories:
Share stories of your own accomplishments and successes! Doing this is is a great way to establish common ground and to learn more about the other person!
Practicing these few tricks will shape you into an expert at being engaged!
The super crazy cool thing is that when you start being engaged AND engaging, some really great things can come out of it for both you and those around you!
Engaging and being engaged with others may lead to establishing connections that lead to some really great opportunities! It’s all about contribution!
Again, you can have everything you want in this world if you help enough other people get what they want!
So the question is… to be engaged or to be engaging? Well, both, but it is more important to be engaged than it is to be engaging.
The great thing about this strategy is that it can be done both online and offline!
In fact, we strongly encourage you to take what you learned from this post and use it offline!
Being more engaged with others is a great way to show you care and that you are present.
Don't believe that this makes a difference?
We challenge you to try it out and watch how you and your connections grow!