ENGAGING OTHERS 119 inclusion of all members of the team makes for a better decision and wider commitment. Working off the same data, everyone who works together is on equal footing to share their ideas, have their voices heard, and have their input valued. They participate more actively, eagerly look for solutions, think more discerningly, and develop greater insights. The more actively they participate, the more successful we all become. The additional time it takes to invest in substantive discussions and probing for ideas is more than offset by what we gain through shared ideas, mutual understanding, and clarity of goals. None of this is to suggest that we disclose confidential information and discussions or go against the expert advice of legal counsel. There clearly are situations when you will not be able to talk about or disclose certain information, because doing so would violate privacy policies, disclosure requirements, or strategic-planning needs. For those kinds of situations, you should seek guidance to ensure that everyone is using the information properly and in the best interests of the organization and its customers, clients, and stakeholders. The bottom line is that through engaging wisely we emerge with a strengthened reputation. We are trusted. We are believable. And our com- munication reaches out with the objective of learning, involving others, and ensuring that we have the best insights available to us. Open commu- nication and dialog that is consistent with behavior are critical to building the kind of reputation that will generate support and get the job done. Motivation Is the Crucial Element A reputation for doing the best, for engaging with those who are important to us and to the organization, for communicating in an open and construc- tive manner, and for genuinely caring about others starts with ourselves. We must motivate ourselves to behave that way. If we do so, our moti- vation extends to others. The enthusiasm and the excitement are conta- gious. And nothing is impossible. Steve Joenk, president and CEO of AXA Equitable Funds Management Group, LLC, said it best: My goal for my career and for the careers of those who work with me is to build a reputation for thinking about "how" and "why" American Management Association / www.amanet.org