Focused People Unclaimed

Discover your Authentic Voice and Match it to the Market

Commitment research has long included the construct of engagement, and work engagement has been found to contain “vigour, dedication and absorption” by Dr. Arnold Bakker and his colleagues in studies circa 2003 (see Bakker & Demerouti, 2008; Bakker and Schaufeli, 2010). In simple terms, vigour concerns passion and stimulation, dedication is a sign of meaning and value inherent in the work and absorption represents the “flow” state of concentration or being “engrossed” in an activity. Coercion does not achieve work engagement nor excellence. In other terms, discretionary effort and high-quality work requires a form of volunteerism that is attractive and becomes a differentiator in culture. It breeds a change-readiness and personal resilience that is felt, not taught or legislated, since individuals feel resourced: supported, included and authorised. This level of engagement in employees engages customers, too, and makes tribes out of communities, all the while building brand equity. Like roses, this needs to be cultivated, but not at the expense of the “pleasant fragrance” that can accompany it.