There are three kinds of people who attend my classes, and I bet you find the same people on your team.

The first type always shows up early, helps set the meeting room and every time I ask a question, has their hand flailing in the air about to bust a gut. This is the person I call, the Eager Beaver.

The second type shows up on time, seldom late. This is the Vacationer. They are happy to be in the meeting, because they don’t have to be at their desk working. When asked to participate, sometimes they contribute, sometimes they don’t. It doesn’t matter to them, after all, they are on vacation.

The third type would not dare be late, not wanting to attract attention. They slide into a chair in the back of the room. They were told to attend this meeting, but they have no clue why. This is the Hostage, sitting arms folded, avoiding eye contact, with a look on their face that says, “Don’t even try to teach me anything.”

So, your team is trying to solve an issue. Which one of the three will have the idea that saves the day? Think about it. Who can you count on? Who has the creative spark that solves the problem?

As a Manager, you don’t know. You can’t possibly know. That is why you need the active participation of each member of the team. Nobody gets to coast, nobody sleeps through, everyone engaged. As a Manager, it is up to you to create that environment. Would you like to know how?