MSMP 77: Tonya Sowles on Employee Engagement

What Does MSMP 77: Tonya Sowles on Employee Engagement Talk About?

In this episode of the Mads Singers Management Podcast, host Mads Singers and guest Tonya Sowles explore the critical role of employee engagement in driving business growth. They discuss the startling statistic that only 15% of employees worldwide are engaged, meaning they proactively solve problems, champion ideas, and promote the brand. The conversation emphasizes that investing in employees is essential, even if some may leave, because the cost of disengaged staff who stay is far greater. Tonya advocates for weekly team meetings and one-on-one check-ins to foster open communication and alignment with personal and professional goals. She also criticizes traditional employee evaluations, preferring frequent, informal check-ins that build trust and engagement. The episode highlights how understanding team members through tools like DISC can accelerate connection and boost engagement, ultimately leading to higher productivity and profitability.

What if we invest in them and they leave? What if we don't, and they stay?Mads Singers

Who Is Featured on MSMP 77: Tonya Sowles on Employee Engagement?

Tonya Sowles is a general business consultant specializing in HR with over 20 years of experience. She holds an MBA and is a Senior Certified Professional for the Society of Human Resource Management. Tonya is passionate about helping business owners maximize their people to achieve greater productivity and profitability. She runs Sowles Consulting and is active on LinkedIn and Facebook, where she shares insights on employee engagement and small business management.

What Are the Key Takeaways From MSMP 77: Tonya Sowles on Employee Engagement?

• Employee engagement is a key driver of business growth, yet only 15% of workers worldwide are engaged.
• Weekly one-on-one meetings with direct reports are essential for building trust and improving engagement.
• Traditional employee evaluations are less effective than frequent, informal check-ins that focus on goals and development.
• Investing in employees, even if they might leave, is better than having disengaged employees who stay.
• Understanding team members' personalities through tools like DISC can accelerate engagement and collaboration.

The better you know your team and show them that you care about their advancement, the likelier they are to be engaged and not be part of that large percentage that are just clock-watchers.Tonya Sowles

Is MSMP 77: Tonya Sowles on Employee Engagement Worth Listening To?

This episode is a must-listen for managers and business owners who want to improve team productivity and reduce turnover. Tonya Sowles provides actionable advice on replacing outdated performance reviews with regular check-ins that foster genuine connection and growth. Her passion for employee engagement is contagious, and the practical tips shared can be implemented immediately. Whether you are a seasoned leader or new to management, the insights on investing in people and building a culture of engagement will transform how you view your team. The episode also includes thought-provoking statistics and real-world examples that make the case for prioritizing engagement as a strategic advantage. Overall, it delivers high value in a concise, engaging format.

Who Should Listen to MSMP 77: Tonya Sowles on Employee Engagement?

• Business owners
• HR professionals
• Team leaders and managers
• Entrepreneurs

What Are Listeners Saying About This Episode?

Employee engagement is a secret weapon of fast-growing businesses, and today’s guest for the Mads Singers Management Podcast, Tonya Sowles, is someone deeply passionate about making sure team members are engaged, not just counting hours until they clock out.  She’s a general business consultant specializing in HR.  While she is a Senior Certified Professional for the Society of Human Resource Management, she’s also got an MBA and over 20 years of business experience.  She loves helping owners maximize their people in order to maximize productivity and profitability.

That’s precisely where we started our conversation.  Tonya shared the shocking statistic that worldwide only 15% of employees are engaged with their work.  “Engaged” means:

• Proactively solving problems
• Championing ideas
• Cheerleading for the brand and helping to recruit

Tonya said that even the best companies sometimes only have a 20% engagement rate, which means in a company of 10, there are 8 employees who might not care.  

In my experience part of how you get employees to care is to invest in them.  A famous quote that guides me in this area is an exchange between two executives:

“What if we invest in them and they leave?”

“What if we don’t, and they stay?”

Tonya champions the idea of weekly time blocks to talk with the team in general, and agreed with my oft-repeated advice to meet 1-to-1 with your direct reports each week.  She also had some harsh words for “employee evaluations” as they often are currently used.  She prefers instead more frequent “check-ins” which are borne from the open communication she seeks in having weekly time with her team members.  It’s in these check-ins that we can discover personal and professional goals and see how their work life is aligning with those goals.

In those check-ins you can get to know your team better (something that DISC can help accelerate in the beginning).  The better you know your team and show them that you care about their advancement, the likelier they are to be engaged and not be part of that large percentage that are just clock-watchers.

Tonya’s passion for engagement comes through in this episode.  You’ll enjoy it!

Key Learning Points:

1. Tonya talks about the importance of employee engagement - 3:30

2. Tonya, like Mads, encourages weekly time blocks to chat with staff - 7:05

3. Tonya shares why she doesn’t care for “employee evaluations” - 8:57

4. Mads discusses his single biggest management ROI - 11:18

5. Tonya warns against the dangers of training your team to “wait for permission” - 16:07

6. Mads emphasizes having a diverse set of skills (and personalities) among your team - 20:23

7. Mads shares the joy of telling his team he’ll be gone for a while and will be unreachable - 24:05

8. Tonya notes the problems with “shoebox accounting” - 27:33

9. Tonya discusses employees who are left to fend for themselves - 28:10

10. Tonya explains why having employees is much more than having enough money to pay employees - 38:35

Connect with Tonya Sowles

1. Sowles Consulting (Facebook)

2. Triple P Group for Small Businesses

3. Tonya Sowles (LinkedIn)