A friend recently told me of being emotionally "beaten up" by their manager.

Normally, I share ways to generate positive engagement. This, however, makes me think it can''t hurt to look at the flip side. It is very easy for a Beat 'em Up Manager (aka B.U.M.) to disrupt completely an employee's engagement equation:

investment

+ commitment

+ involvement

Engagement

in his work, in the workplace, and for the business.

Beating up an employee is really beating up their reasons to engage, their reasons to contribute their skills, knowledge, time, energy and creativity to their work. Here's why:

When the B.U.M. finds fault instead of admiring effort she drums out the employee's (and her own) expectation that he can do the job well. A barrage of

• You're too slow answering the customer's questions.
  
• Errors like these are a long way from the quality turnout we expect.
• Don't you see how it's taking you too long to learn the new software?!

is not likely to instill confidence in one's ability, pride in one's output, or desire to really invest oneself for such a manager. Evidence abounds that rapport between manager and employee contributes to the employee's commitment to his work, his team, and his company.

When the B.U.M. instills fear rather than building trust, he quickly severs any chance that the employee will come to him for assistance. Wouldn't you agree that if you expect harsh criticism from your manager, you're not likely to admit a weakness by asking for help? That's turning off a line of communication, and communication is one of the critical factors for an engaged workforce.

When the B.U.M constantly announces failure rather than saluting success, she constructs anticipation of failure. Psychological evidence abounds that once we hear something often enough it becomes our reality. And, sure enough, if what we are hearing is about our performance, we begin to perform to that reality.

OK. I make no assertion that anyone reading this is a B.U.M. Accept my exaggerated illustration of ways to stifle engagement. And realize that even less negating of an employee's worth and work than in the above examples can hold back his eagerness to invest, commit, and involve himself.