Steve Jobs once said, “if you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.”

Most people are impatient for results and expect change overnight. Sustainable change, however, typically involves a perpetual cycle of idea…plan…action…reflect…feedback…tweak to create incremental improvement over time.

Each New Year brings opportunity to reflect, gain perspective, and make simple, and often subtle, changes that allow us, and the organizations we lead, to climb out of detrimental ruts and adopt new ideas to build thrive environments.

Research shows that on average US workers are only 48% engaged in their work, whereas employees in thrive environments are up to twice as engaged. 

With employee compensation often being the largest overall expense item, finding ways to increase employee engagement can result in huge savings.

Consider a story told by Simon Sinek about a barista named Noah who works at a coffee stand in the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas. Sinek tells how he was so impressed with Noah’s positive and engaging demeanor that he gave him a 100% tip. 

As Sinek got his coffee he asked Noah if he likes his job. Without hesitation Noah said he loves his job. When asked what the Four Seasons Hotel does to cause him to say he loves his job Noah replies that all day long managers, all managers—not just his own manager, walk by the coffee stand and say hello, ask if there is anything he needs, and how they can be helpful to him.

Noah quickly adds that he also works part-time at Caesar’s Palace where the managers micro-manage and look for things that staff are doing wrong. He shares that at Caesar’s Palace staff keep their heads down and try to get through the day so they can collect their paychecks.

Same guy…different environments…huge differences in employee [and customer] engagement!

So what is the biggest determinant of a thrive environment? The answer is simple: leaders who care. 

Too many managers and bosses say they are leaders and that they care, but their teams and customers don’t reflect this assertion. Creating a thrive environment requires true selfless servant-leadership and a real attitude of care, which puts the interests of others above your own.

Implementing a thrive environment takes conviction, clarity, courage, consistency, intentionality, and time. 

These Herbisms are intended to provide weekly practical insights into how to become a better and more caring leader. Read each Herbism and find ways to incorporate the principles and concepts into your daily efforts that week. If you do, with humility, others will see incremental change in your behavior and respond accordingly.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.