Turn the Crank on Employee Engagement

How agency leaders can unlock higher performance by activating what really drives their people.

Most employees aren’t disengaged—they’re just not fully activated.

In fact, only a small percentage of teams are truly engaged, while the majority sit in the middle—doing their jobs but lacking energy, connection, and enthusiasm.

In this episode, Brent Kelly talks with Sadie Bauman of IC3 about what it really takes to turn the crank on employee engagement. Backed by research and real-world agency insights, they explore how leaders can create the conditions for people to perform at a higher level.

Key Takeaways:

1. Engagement Is the Engine of Performance

Only about a third of employees are fully engaged, while over half are in a “neutral” state—showing up, but not fully invested.

👉 Turning the crank starts with moving people from passive to engaged.

2. Your Middle 50% Holds the Biggest Opportunity

These employees aren’t negative—but they’re not energized either.
They’re the most likely to leave—and the easiest to re-engage.

👉 Small leadership shifts can create big performance gains.

3. Leaders Turn the Crank—Or Stall It

Employee engagement is largely driven by the daily interactions people have with their leaders.

• Lack of clarity creates frustration
• Lack of development creates stagnation
• Lack of communication creates disconnection

👉 Great leaders create clarity, consistency, and connection.

4. Clarity Drives Confidence and Results

Many employees don’t fully understand:

• What’s expected of them
• How success is measured
• Where they’re going

👉 When people know how to win, they engage at a higher level.

5. Development Fuels Engagement

People want to grow, improve, and feel progress in their careers.

• Training matters
• Coaching matters
• Career paths matter

👉 Turning the crank means helping people move forward.

6. Listening Creates Momentum

Engagement increases when people feel heard and valued.

Even small actions, like asking for input and responding to it, can significantly shift energy and performance.

👉 Don’t just measure engagement, act on it.

Closing Thought:

When you understand what truly “turns the crank” for your people, you unlock a new level of energy, commitment, and performance inside your agency.

Connect with Sadie Bauman via the iC3 website or at [email protected]. 

Ready to start turning the crank on engagement and performance in your agency?

👉 Take the Agency Performance Diagnostic
https://www.sitkins.com/agency-performance-diagnostic 

Get clear on where your agency stands and what to do next to build a more engaged, high-performing team.