Active Engagement Strategies

If we want sustainable organisational change, which group is more important? (a) People who are active in response to the change (even if they're resistant); or (b) People who accept the change? New research suggests (a); it's more important for people to be active in change than it is to get favourable responses to it. Active dissenters/resisters are preferable to passive people who go along with the change. Many existing change frameworks focus on “valence”: the extent to which people are positive or negative about change. This research suggests another dimension: “activation” - the energy or action level in people’s response to change - whether they're engaged, energetic & visible (active) or quiet, withdrawn, & non-participative (passive). The authors offer a 4 box framework called “the Change Response Circumplex Scale”. I’ve added some strategies for working with different people alongside their graphic. Active resistance is preferable to passive disengagement because it:  -keeps the lines of feedback & dialogue open -surfaces important information & risks that passive compliance might hide -creates the conditions for long term engagement in change. Implications of this research for change leaders: 1. Go beyond reducing resistance: Don’t just focus solely on minimising resistance or seeking passive agreement; aim to foster active, positive engagement -what the authors term “change proactivity.” 2. Understand engagement levels: Differentiate between passive acceptance, disengagement & truly active, positive support. Use the framework to gauge people’s responses to your change initiative. 3. Create interventions accordingly: Disengaged people need approaches to increase involvement, passive assent can become active support & resistance can become constructive dialogue. 4. Leverage the value of dissent: Rather than viewing resistance solely as an obstacle, explore what motivates active dissent & use it as a resource for learning & adaptation. I appreciate this model because it challenges the existing (dubious) advice for change leaders to “overcome resistance to change”. Rather, we should work to activate engagement in change. The research suggests that both high activation responses (change proactivity & change resistance) show the most promise for long term change engagement. Activism is what changes the world. There are 2 research articles about this framework: 1) from 2024, validates the framework (This is from Scrid so it's accessible): https://lnkd.in/eZ5yjFwf. 2) from 2025, sets the framework in a wider change context & is in this LinkedIn post from 'Cheese' 🧀 Cheeseman https://lnkd.in/epzce-QG. By Shaul Oreg & Noga Sverdlik.

Engaging and retaining the fan base is key for football clubs. Why? Without active fan participation, clubs experience: ☑ A drop in attendance  ☑ Reduced merchandise sales ☑ Missed opportunities to connect with sponsors and investors 👉 Engaging fans is crucial for: ☑ generating revenue ☑ creating an electric atmosphere ☑ motivating players ☑ achieving success both on and off the pitch ✅ The Risks Imagine... ☑ The impact of a half-empty stadium on match days... with chants reduced to whispers. ☑ A once vibrant atmosphere that loses its allure... failing to inspire players. ☑ Dormant social media accounts that receive minimal engagement... generating little buzz. ❓ The consequences? ❗ Potential sponsors and investors hesitate to associate with a club lacking active and enthusiastic supporters. Without an effective fan engagement strategy... 👉 the football club risks falling behind while competitors thrive on their passionate fan communities. ✅ The Solution To unlock the full potential of a football club and cultivate an engaged fan base, executives should: 1️⃣ Embrace Digital Platforms ☑ Use the power of social media: Connect directly with fans. ☑ Share exclusive content: Behind-the-scenes footage, player interviews, and match previews. ☑ Encourage active participation: Initiate discussions, run polls, and ask questions that ignite fans' passion and deepen their emotional connection to the club. 2️⃣ Personalised Fan Experiences ☑ Tailor experiences to individual fans through loyalty programs, exclusive perks, and recognition of their contributions. ☑ Organise meet-and-greet sessions, signed merchandise giveaways, and personalized messages from players or club legends. ☑ Make fans feel valued and recognized, fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty that transcends mere spectatorship. 3️⃣ Community Involvement ☑ Extend the club's reach beyond the stadium by engaging with the local community. ☑ Organize charitable initiatives, youth football programs, and grassroots events that showcase the club's commitment to its supporters. ✅ The Results This kind of involvement: ✔ enhances the club's reputation ✔ fosters a positive image ✔ forges stronger connections with fans who feel proud to be part of a socially responsible club ✅ Final Thoughts These strategies will transform fan engagement, leading to: ✔ Increased attendance ✔ Higher merchandise sales  ✔ An improved social media presence ❗ This heightened level of engagement will attract sponsors, investors, and partnerships, increasing the odds of success of the club on and off the pitch. #footballbusiness #linkedinsports #strategy

“Great teaching isn’t about giving answers — it’s about building explorers.” In primary classes, children learn best when strategies are simple, structured, and engaging. One such powerful framework is the LEARN Strategy — a step-by-step approach that makes lessons active, student-centered, and memorable. LEARN is a teaching strategy where each letter guides learning: L – Listen & Look Example: While reading a story aloud, pause and let students observe the picture clues and listen for keywords. It builds focus, comprehension, and prediction skills. E – Engage Example: Start grammar lessons with a quick role-play: “Be a verb!” Kids jump, clap, or dance. It turns abstract concepts into fun, real actions. A – Ask & Answer Example: After a passage, students create and answer each other’s questions. It encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and peer learning. R – Reflect & Respond Example: “How would you feel if you were the character in the story?” It builds empathy, personal connections, and deeper understanding. N – Note & Narrate Example: Students jot down new words and narrate a short sentence or mini-story using them. It strengthens vocabulary, writing, and speaking confidence. LEARN Strategy Works in Primary Classes because it, ✅ Encourages active participation from every child ✅Simple, structured, and flexible across subjects ✅ Strengthens listening, speaking, reading, and writing in one flow ✅ Builds confidence and creativity in shy learners The LEARN Strategy isn’t just about covering a topic — it’s about uncovering possibilities. When children Listen, Engage, Ask, Reflect, and Narrate, they don’t just remember lessons, they live them. #LEARNStrategy #PrimaryEducation #TeachingTips #StudentEngagement #ActiveLearning #ReflectiveLearning #EducationInnovation

Most schools spend 90% of their marketing budget chasing new families. Meanwhile, their best recruiters sit in the carpool line every day, completely ignored. Current parents are your secret weapon. But only if you actually engage them. Here's what most schools get wrong: They treat parent communication like a one-way announcement system. Weekly newsletters filled with dates and deadlines. Social posts about awards and achievements. That's not engagement. That's broadcasting. Real engagement creates advocates. And advocates fill your enrollment pipeline. Here's the multi-channel approach that works: Email content that adds value. Not just "don't forget picture day." Send parenting tips. Share how your curriculum connects to real-world skills. Give them conversation starters for the dinner table. Social media that showcases real moments. Stop posting staged photos of kids in uniforms. Show the messy science experiment. The heated debate in history class. The breakthrough moment in math. Parents share authentic stories, not polished PR. Events that build community. Not just fundraisers. Host parent coffee talks about relevant topics. Create volunteer opportunities that don't feel like work. Make it easy for parents to connect with each other. Feedback loops that prove you're listening. Survey parents regularly. Then actually act on what they tell you. Close the loop by showing what changed because of their input. Your current families are sitting on the most powerful marketing channel you have. Are you using it? What's one way you could better engage your current parent community this month?

How to Improve Employee Engagement (Without Burning Everyone Out) Employee engagement isn’t about pizza parties or free swag—it’s about real connection, growth, and trust. Here are 7 meaningful ways to boost engagement on your team: 1️⃣ Be Transparent. Many leaders hold back out of fear—fear of turnover, fear of disruption. But open communication actually builds trust. ✨ Try this: Weekly team check-ins, open Q&As with leadership, internal newsletters. 2️⃣ Recognize the Work. Celebrate both the big wins and the everyday efforts. People pour hours into their work—it deserves acknowledgment. ✨ Try this: Monthly shout-outs, peer-nominated awards, personalized recognition. 3️⃣ Create Growth Pathways. Engaged employees are growing employees. Promotions are great, but so are developmental opportunities. ✨ Try this: Skill-based training, mentorship, career mapping, conference access. 4️⃣ Tie Work to Purpose. People want to know their work matters. Connect daily tasks to your mission and values. ✨ Try this: Share impact stories, align goals to company vision, encourage input on strategy. 5️⃣ Respect Work-Life Balance. No one can give their best when they’re burned out. Show you see the full human, not just the worker. ✨ Try this: Flex hours, mental health days, wellness programs. 6️⃣ Encourage Ownership. Empower your team to lead projects, make decisions, and take initiative. Their success is your success. ✨ Try this: Project-based leadership, open innovation challenges. 7️⃣ Make Feedback a Two-Way Street. Feedback shouldn’t just flow top-down. Engagement grows in coaching cultures. ✨ Try this: Regular 1-on-1s, engagement surveys, and real-time feedback loops. People stay where they’re valued, seen, and growing. This is the work I'm passionate about and that I talk about on every panel I'm on. #EmployeeEngagement #LeadershipDevelopment #PeopleFirst #InclusiveLeadership #WorkplaceWellbeing #EmployeeExperience #HRLeadership #CareerGrowth #ManagerTips #FutureOfWork #OrganizationalCulture #LeadWithEmpathy

Having a large, unengaged email list is like having a phonebook full of numbers that never pick up – it's almost worthless. In email marketing, the size of your list is only part of the equation. The real question is: Are your subscribers engaging? Without engagement, it doesn’t matter how big your list is, you still won’t generate meaningful results for your business. Here’s how to build a highly engaged email list that becomes a money-making machine: STEP 1: ATTRACT THE RIGHT AUDIENCE List growth shouldn’t be just about attracting more subscribers, it should be about attracting more of the RIGHT subscribers. Instead of casting a wide net, focus on attracting people who are in your target market and, ideally, have a demonstrated interest in your products or services. Using lead magnets, social media ads, or strategic partnerships can be a great way to grow your audience while prioritizing quality over quantity. STEP 2: SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS Engagement is a reflection of your ability to get the right content in front of the right people. From the first email, let your subscribers know exactly what they’ll get from you—and when. And, most importantly, DELIVER ON THAT PROMISE. Aligned expectations build trust, improve conversions, and accelerate sales cycles. STEP 3: DELIVER VALUE CONSISTENTLY Every email you send should have a single, customer-centric purpose. Whether you’re educating, entertaining, or selling, your emails should ALWAYS deliver value. If your subscribers feel like they’re being bombarded with promotions, or the relationship feels too one-sided, they’re going to bounce. STEP 4: SEGMENT YOUR AUDIENCE Too many brands treat their subscribers like numbers instead of people. Divide your audience into segments based on demographics, interests, or behaviors, so you can send personalized emails that address their specific needs and interests. Personalized emails are more relevant, and relevance is a key determinant of engagement. STEP 5: CLEAN YOUR LIST The easiest way to improve engagement is to prune your unengaged subscribers. You should regularly remove subscribers who have inaccurate contact information or haven’t engaged with any of your recent content. Don’t get caught up in vanity metrics. A smaller, engaged list outperforms a large, unengaged list every single time. Having a big list might feel like an accomplishment, but without engagement you have a rolodex, not a revenue channel. Focus on the quality of your subscribers and build a strategy that forms stronger relationships with each of them – your P&L will thank you for it.

‼️If you’re posting content on LinkedIn to drive attention for your B2B brand, you’re doing it wrong. Here’s why—content doesn’t generate attention. Engagement does. Most B2B marketers focus on what to post, but the real question is: Where should you engage? Add to that - Who should you engage with? And what should you say? A targeted engagement strategy isn’t about random commenting or mass DMs—it’s about being intentional with where you show up and how. Here’s how to decide what to do: ▫️Define Your Engagement Zones Not all conversations are worth your time. Identify where your ideal audience is already active—specific influencers, niche industry discussions, or customer pain-point posts. A simple way? Search your target industry’s hashtags and filter by ‘Recent’ to find where real conversations are happening right now. ▫️Reverse Engineer Your Buyer’s Journey Ask yourself: What does my ideal client see before they find me? Are they following specific thought leaders? Engaging in certain industry debates? Complaining about a common problem? Track these patterns—then position yourself in those conversations before they need you. ▫️Set an Engagement Priority List Engagement isn’t a free-for-all. Rank your targets: 🔸Tier 1: Potential customers 🔸Tier 2: Industry influencers 🔸Tier 3: Key referral partners Allocate time accordingly. Your Tier 1 audience should get direct interactions, while Tier 2 & 3 should see regular touchpoints to build long-term visibility. The goal? Be seen in the right places, by the right people, at the right time. Strategy isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what actually moves the needle. Your thoughts?

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 For Hunter Sunrise, Chief Marketing Officer at SchoolStatus & Smore, a website isn’t just a place for information; it’s the engine of demand generation. His approach centers on making the digital experience personal, intuitive, and instantly relevant to each buyer. “Your website should do more than explain what you do; it should generate pipeline.” This philosophy has shaped how SchoolStatus connects with its buyers online, helping visitors immediately find what matters most to them. Hunter’s strategy combines thoughtful design with clear pathways for engagement. His focus is on building a website that works for every type of buyer, from superintendents to school leaders, educators, and families, through content that resonates with each audience. Hunter highlights three key components behind this approach: 1️⃣ A One-Click Web Experience Hunter’s priority is simplicity. SchoolStatus built a navigation framework that lets buyers find relevant content with a single click. Using a Solution menu with sub-menus for each buyer type, visitors can move directly to what matters to them. “No one should have to guess where to click. Every page, every link, it’s about getting people closer to solving their problem, fast.” This streamlined experience ensures that every buyer has a clear path to value. 2️⃣ Targeted Buyer Role Pages The second layer of personalization lies in addressing the needs of different buyer roles. Hunter emphasizes pages that speak directly to specific audiences: “Each audience comes with their own priorities,” he says. “We built pages that speak directly to them. Whether you’re a superintendent or a school counselor, you should see yourself in the story.” By creating these role-specific pathways, SchoolStatus ensures that content feels personal. Each visitor sees solutions aligned with their unique responsibilities and challenges. 3️⃣ Aligned and Sortable Content Hunter’s digital engagement strategy revolves around content alignment. Resources like Case Studies, Guides, Webinars, eBooks, and Reports are tagged and easily sortable by value proposition. “We tag everything by what matters to the buyer,” Hunter explains. “It takes two clicks to get from ‘I have this problem’ to a case study or webinar that shows how we solve it.”This makes discovery effortless — visitors can instantly access materials that connect to their needs. Hunter sums it up simply: “When someone lands on our site, they should feel like, ‘Yep, this is for me,’” he says. “We want to surface the right problems and show we actually solve them — with speed and clarity.” In conclusion, Hunter’s leadership at SchoolStatus & Smore demonstrates how personalization transforms a website from a static asset into an active growth engine. By combining a one-click web experience, role-based targeting, and aligned content, he’s created a digital presence that not only informs — it connects.

Have you ever experienced a conversation where someone is talking AT you for a long period of time, rather than being in conversation WITH you? It's exhausting right? Most people don’t realize how much energy it takes to listen for a long time. Active listening is hard work. The brain is decoding meaning, tracking emotions, interpreting tone, and mentally simulating what is being shared. It is not passive, it is highly active. That is why conversations feel best when they are mutual exchanges rather than one-sided monologues. Not only in personal conversations, but on stage too. Human beings need to participate. If we only talk at them, attention and energy drops and the nervous system checks out. So how do we keep energy flowing in both directions? Here is a simple framework to create more engaging, more fulfilling dialogue in conversations or while speaking on stage: The 50/50 Connection Rule 1. Share, then make space Talk, but then remember to pause for response. Give others room to breathe and contribute. 2. Ask open-ended questions Instead of yes/no questions, try: "Has something like this happened to you too?" "What stood out most for you?" 3. Listen like it matters Make eye contact, hold presence, let them finish (try not to interupt). Active listening creates trust. 4. Invite engagement when speaking to a group Ask for opinions, raise of hands, pair shares, chat participation, or story reflections. 5. Notice the energy If you are talking a lot and the other person has not shared, gently hand the mic back and ask something like: "What are your thoughts on this?" 6. Remember the emotional exchange You gain relief and connection through sharing. They gain energy back through being heard. Both sides need a turn. When conversations are balanced, everyone leaves the interaction more energized and more connected. And as speakers and facilitators, this is how we help our audiences stay awake, involved, and alive in the moment. Curious to hear from you. How has a lack of adherance to this 50/50 Connection Rule affected you in past conversations or in your experience as an audience member? Which part of the 50/50 rule do you want to practice more? 👇 #GrowthMindset #LeadershipDevelopment #SelfAwareness #PersonalDevelopment #EventHost #EmceeLife #Moderator #FacilitationSkills

Navigating Change Management with Positive Interventions Engage Employees Early and Often Involve employees in the change process by seeking their input and addressing their concerns. This early engagement fosters a sense of ownership and reduces resistance. According to a study by Prosci, organizations that actively engage employees throughout the change process are six times more likely to achieve their change objectives. Implement Change Champions Networks: Establish a network of change champions—employees across various levels and departments who advocate for the change and provide peer support. These champions can help communicate the benefits of the change, model desired behaviors, and address concerns. Research from McKinsey & Company shows that organizations with change champion networks are 29% more successful in implementing change initiatives. Provide Continuous Learning and Support Offer training, resources, and ongoing support to help employees develop the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the change. This can include workshops, online courses, and access to change management tools. A report by the Association for Talent Development (ATD) found that continuous learning during change processes increases employee adaptability by 35% and accelerates the pace of change adoption. Use Data-Driven Change Monitoring Leverage data analytics to monitor the progress of change initiatives and identify potential roadblocks in real-time. This proactive approach allows you to adjust strategies and provide targeted interventions where needed. According to Gartner, organizations that use data-driven change monitoring reduce implementation time by 20% and improve overall success rates. Foster a Resilient Organizational Culture Cultivate a culture of resilience where change is viewed as an opportunity for growth rather than a threat. This can be achieved by promoting a growth mindset, celebrating small wins during the change process, and recognizing employees who adapt effectively. The Journal of Organizational Behavior highlights that organizations with a resilient culture are 50% more likely to navigate complex changes successfully. #ChangeManagement #Leadership #OrganizationalChange #EmployeeEngagement #PositiveInterventions Prosci. (2021). The Importance of Early Employee Engagement in Change Management. McKinsey & Company. (2020). The Role of Change Champions in Successful Change Initiatives. Association for Talent Development (ATD). (2022). Continuous Learning: A Key to Adaptability in Change Management. Gartner. (2023). Data-Driven Change Monitoring: Enhancing Change Management Success. Journal of Organizational Behavior. (2019). Building a Resilient Culture for Successful Change Management.