I recently returned from an overseas trip to Russia. My husband and I traveled from Detroit to Amsterdam to St. Petersburg to Arkhangelsk and back again in 6 days. A lot of traveling in a short period of time, but we couldn’t be more motivated and engaged. Even with the crazy time zones and lack of sleep, our hearts and minds are committed to doing all we can to complete the adoption of our 7-yearold little girl. For us, this makes sense. It is “our” adoption. But within those six days there were many others who shared our “engagement”. Some were critical players who had helped us get to this step. Some were people we had never met before and some just happened into our journey —-all giving their time, care, and talents committed to the goal for our child. People went above and beyond at every turn and when we ran into obstacles (which are part of any 6-day trip involving that much travel), we stayed focused on the goal and exercised mind and heart………and I’m grateful to say our trip went well.
At Root, Jim Haudan, our CEO and author of “The Art of Engagement” would say this is because all people want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. In the book, he shares four key Roots of Engagement:
- People want to be a part of something big
- People want to feel a sense of belonging
- People want to go on a meaningful journey
- People want to know that their contributions make a significant impact
While the “Art of Engagement” is a business book, it explains how connecting and engaging people naturally occurs when tapping into the elements we all share as human beings. When large organizations use methods and processes which connect that “humanness” with the outcomes and goals of their organizations, desired results follow.
As I reflected on the past week, I realized that the Roots of Engagement are alive and well in my personal life and I’m grateful to all the people who have and are investing their time and talent for the cause of bringing our little girl home. I am very sentimental right now, reflecting on this trip and the good of mankind. It is an amazing way to celebrate the holidays. I wish for all of you to experience “The Art of Engagement” in business and in life. When we work together for the good of a meaningful goal,it’s amazing what happens.
Happy Holidays!
