Isn’t engagement a good thing? What in the world is entanglement? These were the first questions that
popped into my head when I first began to study this concept of entanglement. My first thoughts of
entanglement were negative, as I thought of being caught up in some type of web that could keep me
bound or suppressed within a complex culture. However, this is not the case. Let me explain.
Engaged employees make a conscious decision to have an emotional attachment to their work. It could
be due to many things. They could be a great match for their position. They could actually love the
type of work they do and perform it well. They could possess a strong drive to perform to the very best
of their ability. They could be engaged because they are happy in their personal circumstances, and
their positive outlook on life can extend into their workplace. However, simply being engaged does not
necessarily convert to sustainable organizational results.
The entangled employee has moved beyond engagement. This individual possesses the drive and
determination necessary to achieve positive employee-organization dedication and commitment.
“
Unlike engagement, entanglement exists at both the individual and organization levels and results in
a sustainable competitive advantage that no competitor can imitate because each entangled culture is
unique,” according to authors Benedetto and Thompson.
Entangled employees are able to look beyond themselves and appreciate the organization from a much
broader perspective. They rely on others rather than their own achievement. They seek collaborative
decisions that benefit the organization as a whole. They understand synergy is dynamic. In short, they
understand that the culture of the organization does not exist for or revolve around them; they are
a part of a much greater whole. This type of outward focused thinking results in their ability to work
toward developing solutions to organizational issues and challenges. When an organization develops
a collective entangled mentality, it is able to solve problems proactively, becomes more innovative and
develop a greater understanding of team performance and individual responsibility resulting in greater
organizational success.
ENGAGEMENT VS.
ENTANGLEMENT
“
ONWHAT HIGH PERFORMING COMPANIES SHOULD BE STRIVINGTO CREATE:
A GREAT PLACE FOR GREAT PEOPLE TO DO GREATWORK.”
-
MARILYN CARLSON