As a manager, you need to keep an eye on your team and make sure they stay productive.  With all the distractions today, how do you know if your team is engaged?  Here are three quick ways to keep them on track.

Do They Edify the Team?

The only talk a team member should be doing about another is the type that lifts them up.  An engaged team member will talk positively about their co-workers. Another sign of a team member who is engaged is one who is willing to give credit where it is due. When a member of the team comes up with a great idea, this person is the first to acknowledge their contribution.  They want to see others succeed.

Are They Clock Watchers?

Have you ever been to a casino?  There are two things they do not have: windows and clocks.  If you do not know what time it is, you might not be in such a hurry to leave. Good news for the casino, bad news for your wallet if you happen to enjoy gambling.  In business, there is no time to be a clock watcher – no pun intended.  Engaged team members show up early, stay late, and do whatever it takes to get the job done.  Time becomes irrelevant.  They will understand how to get the job done and have fun, too.

Do They Rise to the Challenge?

As a manager, a phrase you never want to hear is, “That’s not my job!”  When you ask an employee to perform a task outside of their usual scope, gauge their reaction.  If they rise to the challenge and begin to offer suggestions on how the job might be done, they are definitely engaged.  When a fellow employee is having a difficult time accomplishing something or getting started on a project, an engaged employee will jump in and offer assistance.

Be the Example

As a manager, you must lead by example.  If you are engaged, your team will follow.  Your team will be a reflection of you so be how you want your team to be. Happy, helpful, unselfish, leaders…. you decide how you want your team to be, then be that.  It all starts with you.