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2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • April 3, 2014 business should pay close atten- tion to their employees and their well-being." Only 29 percent of U.S. employees are fully engaged, according to a study from Dale Carnegie Training and MSW Research. Furthermore, 26 per- cent are considered disengaged. Disengaged employees are two and a half times more likely to leave their job for any level of pay increase than engaged employees. The study also found that young employees and older groups are more engaged than middle-aged people, with engage- ment peaking among employees who have been at their place of employment for three to five years. "Empowering people to make decisions about their work will generate enthusiasm and inspire people to try harder, producing the strongest lift to engagement," says Fagiano. "The single most important person for driving employee engagement is their direct supervisor. This person truly sets the stage for positive or negative outcomes." Managers should be aware of the three organizational drivers of employee engagement, according to Fagiano: 1. Relationship with immedi- ate supervisor – Does this person appreciate and recognize the employee? 2. Belief in senior leadership – Do employees believe the compa- ny is headed in the right direc- tion? 3. Pride in working for the company – Do employees feel a sense of worth when doing their jobs? "Really good supervisors know that people are driven by their emotions," says Fagiano. "If they feel engaged, they'll work harder and be more likely to help their coworkers. The power of positive emotions should never be under- estimated." The common connection between all engaged employees is that they feel valued. A recent Dale Carnegie white paper, titled "Emotional Drivers of Employee Engagement," explores emotions that are connected to feeling valued. Here are the four core emotions of feeling valued and how supervisors can use them to build more engaged employees: Confident: When employees feel confident, they are more pro- ductive and more likely to take on new challenges. Build confi- dence by giving sincere praise. Be specific about what you think they have done well in the past and reinforce it with a positive statement or suggestion about the future. Empowered: When employees have the tools and support they need, they feel empowered. Keep an open door policy for questions and conversation. Truly listen to what employees say. Ask them what projects they'd like to work on. Show them you genuinely care and have high expectations. Enthusiastic: Enthusiasm is contagious. One employee who Best business . . . from page 1 Six of the 10 college majors with the high- est salaries for new graduates have some- thing to do with engi- neering. So says a survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, which notes that computer engineering majors earned the top spot with an average start- ing salary of $70,400 for graduates who fin- ished school in 2012. Chemical engineering majors came in second with an average start- ing salary of $66,4000, while computer sci- ence majors, with aver- age starting salaries of $64,400, came in third. The NACE salary survey relied on infor- mation from the Bureau of Labor Sta- tistics, the United States Census Bureau and Job Search Intelli- gence, a compensation management firm. In addition to com- puter science, the survey, which exam- ined starting salaries for new graduates in more than 90 fields of study, found that finance, construction science/management and information sci- ences and systems were the only majors outside the field of engineering to crack the top 10. Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes. Submit questions or comments about this column at www.deliverchange.com/coachscorner or email her at lizdeliverchange.com. Dealing with uncommunicative boss By Liz Reyer Star Tribune (Minneapolis) & A Q Q. I have a new manager and am disappointed in him. He doesn't have much to say to me, and I don't feel like he listens when I talk. I can't see how he'll be able to help me succeed in my job and move my career forward. What can I do? A. Ask for what you need, and also think of alternative ways to proceed if he doesn't come through. THE INNER GAME: Not all people with manager titles are good at managing people. I put much responsibility with organizations, which often promote people with strong technical skills but do not teach them how to lead.This leaves you in a situation of taking the lead with him to push for the support you're looking for – an endeavor that may or may not be successful. To start, reflect on the situation, focusing on your breath to help you let go of disappointment so that you can look objectively at the factors at play. What is your vision for your relationship with your manager? How often would you interact and what would those interactions include? People have a variety of levels of need; they are not right or wrong, but be sure that you are clear on what you'd like.Think in terms of day-to-day direction as well as higher-level career development aspects. If you're having trouble imagining this, think back on experiences with past managers, good or bad, to define your ideal. Now consider your current manager, and detail your concerns. What behaviors cause you to feel unheard? For example, do you hear keyboard clicks if you're on the phone or does he fiddle with his smartphone during meetings? Or is it subtler than that? THE OUTER GAME: If you want the situation to improve, you'll need to discuss this with your manager. Preparation will be key, and you probably don't want to spring it on him without warning. For example, consider setting up a meeting to touch base on your new working relationship. In planning for the meeting, develop one or two key messages that you want to convey. If there are positive aspects, be ready to mention those. If there are specific behaviors that you find challenging, highlight those, using "I" messages: "When I hear you typing when we talk, I feel disappointed because it seems like you're not really paying attention to our conversation." There may also be needs you can bring up; for example, "I'd like to set up some structured career- development discussion time" so that he knows it's important to you. These conversations may not yield the results you hope for, so develop a Plan B. It's always a good idea to have mentors, so look around your organization or broader network to identify people who could provide extra support. If, after all your efforts, the relationship is unsustainable, consider other, more extreme, options.You could talk to your boss' boss for ideas on making it work. Or you could look for a new job, recognizing that you may not actually end up with a better outcome. THE LAST WORD: Pleasantly and proactively take steps to help your manager provide better leadership. A publication of Conley Media Distributed by: Conley Distribution 262-513-2646 ©2004 by Conley Media Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. It is the advertiser's responsibility to be aware of the laws pertaining to employment advertising. Subscriptions are available for $34 (non-refundable) for a 6-month subscription. Call 262/513-2698 for information. Call Center Director: Cindy Shaske 262/306-5016 cshaske@conleynet.com Account Executive: Donna Armstrong 262/513-2698 darmstrong@conleynet.com Story Coordinator: Dwayne Butler 262/513-2626 dbutler@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS To place an ad: Call us at 262-513-2698 or fax us at 262-542-6082 deadline: Noon on Wednesdays see BEST BUSINESS . . . page 7 Volume 16 • Number 29 April 3, 2014 Did you know....

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