For most of us, being engaged isn’t a matter of life or death. With the exception of the actively disengaged, co-workers / leadership won’t face serious harm and a company won’t have to cope with major damage if their employees are disengaged. However, there are some professions where engagement is a life or death matter.

 

It was quite a week in New York City last week. Normally, the start of the UN General Assembly brings traffic nightmares as diplomats are escorted in 5-6 car caravans around the city. Sirens blare; horns blow.

 

This year, two additional events occurred. Pope Francis made his first visit to the city and Central Park hosted the Global Citizens Festival, a music festival that encourages people to learn about and take action on the world’s biggest challenges—extreme poverty, inequality, sustainability—and use their power to get other people involved too.1

 

UN Headquarters - Flags of Nations

United Nations

Pope Francis - Fiat on 34th Street

Pope Francis, NYC

2015 Global CItizen Festival - Flickr Anthony Quintano

2015 Global Citizen Festival

 

 

 

 

 

This convergence of events required a massive amount of cooperation, coordination, and communication between many different groups: The Secret Service, Homeland Security, New York Police Department (NYPD), New York Fire Department (FDNY), Port Authority of New York (airports, bridges and tunnels), Department of Transportation, Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) various city agencies, building security teams, personal security teams, etc.

 

Each team had to understand the overall mission for the week and the part they were to play in it. Each team had to make sure that they had the right people in the right roles. Each individual had to understand the role of their team and the part they would play. Employee engagement was a life or death situation.

 

What was the outcome of the week? The diplomats came and went from the UN, their embassies, and hotels with no incidents. The citizens of NYC were able to enjoy the Pope’s appearances and many had the opportunity to see him in his Popemobile and/or his black Fiat.

 

And finally, the eight-hour Global Citizen Festival featured First Lady Michelle Obama, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, and was enjoyed by 60,000+ fans as Ed Sheeran, Beyonce, and many other artists performed.

 

 

1 “Who We Are.” Global Citizen. Global Poverty Project, Inc. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

 

 

What are your thoughts on roles where engagement can be a matter of life or death? What stories can you share about employee engagement and life or death situations?

 

 

Let’s Engage!

I’m Agent in Engagement Simpson…Gregory F Simpson.

Employee engagement is a critical mission. I hope I can count on your help! Subscribe to the RSS Feed to receive the latest intelligence/insights and/or register to make entries in the comments log.

Photo of Gregory F SimpsonYou can follow me @agtinengagement.
Email me at g…@a…t.com.
Connect via LinkedIn at LinkedIn.com/in/GregoryFSimpson.
Learn more about me at gregoryfsimpson.com.

 

 

P.S.  First contact? Welcome to the Agent In Engagement community. Explore and join fellow employee engagement operatives in targeting a known thief – alias: Disengagement. Together we can bring this thief to justice and make the world a better place for all companies and their employees.

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