The Corporate Storyteller

We've been discussing the competitive advantage of fostering a spirit of volunteerism among an organization's workforce. In our last post on January 21, we described the first three steps a leader can take to develop a fully engaged workforce that willingly volunteers for work above and beyond the call of duty.

Here are the three remaining ways, according to a recent article in the Washington Post:

4. Take time to think of the times in your life when you've been inspired to volunteer and note your motivations (and, I would add, note the results as well).

5. If you aren't fully engaged in your current position, determine why not and, if necessary, start looking for opportunities with other emploeyrs that would be more fulfilling.

6. Determine to re-orient your own work approach and your leadership philosophy so that you and all your employees will be fully engaged--to the point of being willing volunteer!

Remember that sharing stories of your most fulfilling, meaningful, instructive and/or fun work experiences will help you through all these steps and produce the results you want.