b'Tapping into discretionary effortThe things people do because they want toPeople trudging through their workday, doing2.Nurture team spirit and harness energyonly as much as they have to, is an all too familiarContemplate how much more likely you are to strive and give story.So many of the organisations I work withyour all when you feel energised.On the flip side reflect on struggle to lift the energy and contribution ofthe ways you are likely to behave when you are drained of their team. energy.The depth of energy we have in reserve at any given Frustrated by a lack of engagement, many of the managers Itime unquestionably influences the choices we make about meet are looking for ways to better leverage the full potentialhowtobehave.Energizedpeoplearemorelikelytobe of people to drive improved results. focused,determined,resilientorcourageous,forexample. Reflect on your institutionhow many people do you believeWhen drained of energy we struggle to be optimistic and work are doing just enough to get by and how many are passionatelyeffectively.striving to succeed? Of course, each person is unique and influencing their spirit Accessing the depths of talent and energy people are capablerequires you to understand what makes them tick. Essential of bringing to their role takes inspiring discretionary effort.influencers of most peoples spirit at work include: Inspiring people to contribute all they are capable of, takesa strong sense of personal valuethesameapproachregardlessofyourinstitutionsspecificpurpose and meaning in our workcircumstances or objectives. Six essential priorities underpin any organisations ability to build and leverage an engagedthe strength of our relationshipsteam. belief in the future and our ability to influence that future 1. Hire well the extent to which we enjoy our job and the environment Have you ever hired someone despite an intuitive sense thatwe work in.the person is not a good fit?Impressed by the candidates3.Build relationships based on trust and respectcredentials, all too often leaders and indeed HR professionals ignore their gut instinct that says this person can do the job, butEarning trust and respect is a prerequisite, a starting point will they choose to? The first step to tapping into discretionaryfromwhichtopositivelyinfluencethethoughts,feelings, effort is hiring people with a sincere desire to take on the rolebehaviours and ultimately performance of those we lead.Its you have on offer. critical to understand that our ability to influence the success Place non-negotiable priority on hiring people who are lookingof others is proportionate to the extent to which they are willing for more than simply a job.Its unrealistic to expect that everyto let us. Therefore to elicit best efforts, to push people beyond candidate you meet will be passionate about thriving in his orself-perceived limits, to motivate them to move forward or to her career.Not everyone wants to be promoted and thats OK.step up and have a go at things outside their experience, we What does matter however, is that the people you hire, find theneed their trust and respect.job you want them to do interesting and ideally enjoyable.Contemplate for a moment the cultural environment and type People who are bored or focused on getting out of work asof leader who inspires you to want to be at your best.Equally quickly as possible, to get on with the rest of their life, arereflect on people you have worked with who have caused you unlikely to strive to make a positive difference.Hire peopleto minimise your efforts or contribution.Feeling trusted and who are aligned with your institutions values and are likely torespected and in turn trust and respect for the people we work behave in ways that enable not only their own success but alsowith is essential to how energised and likely we are to be fully that of your whole team. engaged with our work and team.4. Create a compelling visionIts common to observe managers plugging away with good intentions,doingtheirbesttoachievevaguelydefined objectivesandstandardsofperformance.Someleadership teams fail to regularly come together to talk about plans for the future and how the institution is positioned to make them happen. In turn some leaders fail to bring their teams together to talk about what they must achieve over time and how they will go about getting there.Creating a compelling vision of the future that people want to be a part of is an essential step in inspiring discretionary effort. Unless your institutions leadership team is able to articulate what the future looks like and the role each person will need to play, success will be hit and miss at best.Unless people know the direction you are heading and the difference they can make, they are unlikely to be inspired to link arms, dig deep and strive to succeed together. 16 FACE 2 FACE MAGAZINE'