In part one of this two-part series on building executive engagement, we explored how Igloo Solutions align with the top needs of your executives, helping to get their buy-in and demonstrate value. In this second article, we'll look at how you can disrupt the common perception of executives being inaccessible to the masses, creating a team of involved, personable leaders that are invested in building company culture and employee engagement. It's a challenge, not for the faint of heart, but it's certainly worth it!  

Now that you have identified 'What's in it for Executives' by adding value through the implementation of key business-focused solutions, let's talk about proven methods for motivating executives to participate in the digital workplace. 

Why do we want to hear from leaders?

Remember, executives are a tough audience to connect with as they have limited time and often focus on big-picture considerations. So bring the digital workplace to their level!

• We look to leaders to define purpose and to share the company's direction. 
• We want to understand the company's mission, values, and strategy.
• We need to care about something bigger to stay engaged and need to know how our roles affect the larger strategy.
• We want to break down barriers between ourselves and leaders.

How do we motivate leaders to be more personable?

Utilize more than just the Leadership Center for executives to communicate to the masses by providing social areas for posting content in a less formal way.  Some CEOs post monthly corporate updates, others conduct small group meetings to connect and get feedback. Igloo has included an Executive Focused Engagement Campaign in our Campaign Library to make it easy for you - and for your busy executives!  

By far the most popular Executive Engagement campaign is the 'Blog Oscars'. Executives are successful in part because they tend to be competitive. Play into this competitive nature and use campaigns with a challenge between executives and include monthly or quarterly prizes for the most viewed, liked, rated post. 

What does executive engagement mean for your employees? 

You know that saying, 'Don't assume..."?

Well, that applies here as well. Don't assume that executives intuitively understand the impact their participation has on their employees. Executives who do take the time to post, comment, like and rate content, demonstrate an interest in more than the digital workplace. They demonstrate that they care about the conversations that are happening and what they're employees have to say. 

Next Up: Evolving your Digital Workplace - Why, When, and How?