Empowering employees to take ownership can be a game-changer for your business. However, it's crucial to help them identify their shortcomings. Let's delve into strategies that can foster a sense of responsibility and improve overall performance.
Taking ownership is about accountability for outcomes
In order for an employee to perform according to their manager’s expectations, you need to identify whether your employee has the knowledge, skills, and attitude (KSA) necessary to do their job
- Three questions to ask to help identify which area is causing your employee to fall short
- Does your employee still require supervision for tasks that you’d like them to complete on their own? If yes, they lack organizational knowledge
- Do your employee struggle to achieve efficiency, quality, and accuracy when completing their task? Is your employee demonstrating a lack of willingness or low motivation or require additional incentive to complete their tasks?
Addressing Nonproductive Attitudes
Motivate your employees by sharing the advantages of new strategies or approaches when implementing changes
- Creating consequences for nonperformance
- Helping them understand the urgency
- Ask them, “Will you be able to keep your current deadlines for your deliverables or will you need more time if you prioritize this?”
Connecting KSAs to outcomes
When managers couple their call to ownership with clear instructions that remedy a lack of knowledge, skills, and attitudes, then employees gain a better understanding of what influences the outcomes associated with their role
Addressing Organizational Knowledge
When employees lack organizational knowledge, they don’t feel confident in their execution and they require additional support or supervision
- Encourage your employees to be more independent by: Encouraging them to ask “What’s the outcome you’re looking for?” when they are confused or uncertain about how to measure the success of a process or activity
- Pointing employees to documented processes in training manuals, onboarding documents, or internal information sharing systems so they can find their answers to their questions instead of relying on you
- Providing opportunities for informal exchanges in informal communication networks like Slack or Instant Messenger so they address uncertainties with their peers instead of you
Addressing Inadequate Skills
When employees lack the appropriate skills, they don’t have the expertise to complete their tasks according to the required standard or within the desired timeframe
- Encourage your employees to strengthen their proficiency by emphasizing continued learning
- Hiring a trainer who specializes in a skill the team needs to achieve results in their job
- Recommending coaches, courses, and certifications
- Providing opportunities for your workers to practice a skill they need for their job
