What is engagement? ...a question which I get asked often and this week I have truly understood the meaning of the word. For those who don't follow me on Twitter or Facebook, I have not being posting or editing podcasts as my nana had a massive stroke and I have been at her bedside since last Friday - not sure at the moment who looks worse me or her!
But during this time I have realised that engagement is just about two words....time and caring. The nurses have been wonderful here at Scarborough hospital, not because they have loads of money to spend on making us comfortable, not because of targets, not because of goals but because they provide time and they care.
It is a wonderful lesson for business...it is not what you spend in terms of money on people which creates that emotional engagement it is the power of words, it is the willingness to invest time. What are the little engagement tricks?
- People remembering your name, remembering personal facts and talking to you about them.
- People coming and asking if there is anything you need, anything that will help you.
- People listening to your concerns even when there is nothing that they can do to stop nature taking its course
- People smiling and making you smile....even in these traumatic hrs laughter is a wonderful stress reliever.
- Friends making 3 hr round trips to bring you clothes..not because they have to, but because they want to....
I always get annoyed when people say there is no budget to spend on "engagement"...you don't need a budget, you need a heart and you need a passion to want to connect with people....as Nana herself used to say
"Money buys things, your heart creates relationships"
