8.9 THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO BE A GREAT BOSS: Helping People Take Responsibility

(EXTRACTION FROM TEAM MANAGEMENT: Rewarding And Engaging People at http://www.mindtools.com)

 

People duck responsibility for reasons ranging from simple laziness or a fear of failure, through to a sense of feeling overwhelmed by the scale of a problem or a situation.  if people fail to take responsibility, they'll fail in their jobs, they'll fail their teams, and they'll fail to grow as individuals.

Signs and Symptoms

Lacking interest in their work, and in the well-being of the team.

Blaming others for mistakes and failures.

Missing deadlines.

Avoiding challenging tasks and projects; and not taking risks.

Regularly complaining about unfair treatment by team leaders and team members – and engaging in self-pity.

Avoiding taking initiative, and being dependent on others for work, advice, and instructions.

Lacking trust in team members and leaders.

Making excuses regularly – they may often say "It's not my fault," or, "That's unfair."

The aim should be to provide your people with the skills and resources needed to do their jobs, and then to create an environment where it's easy for them to take responsibility for their decisions and actions.  Sometimes you'll need to be firm and courageous, and sometimes your actions will cause conflict.

STRATEGIES AND TOOLS

Start by Talking ·        talk to the individuals concerned ·        Find out the circumstances that are contributing to the situation ·        provide feedback so that the individuals know that their behavior needs to change ·        may need to provide appropriate support

Ensure Adequate Resources ·        ensure that your people have the resources they need to do their job ·        might include providing training, equipment, access to mentors and coaches

Communicate Roles, Responsibilities, and Objectives ·        have an up-to-date job description for each team member ·        be as detailed as possible about every responsibility that they have ·        keep assignments and responsibilities clear ·        define everyone's roles and responsibilities within the team ·        make sure they understand how their work ties into the larger goals of the organization ·        Highlight the importance of what they're doing ·        paint a picture that details the unpleasant direct and indirect consequences - See more at: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/taking-responsibility.htm#sthash.iVjISYz6.dpuf

Re-Engage People ·        take responsibility for your actions ·        lead your people down the path towards personal responsibility ·        aligns work with their values ·        Take some time to discover their strengths and weaknesses ·        analyze whether or not they're using their strengths

Help People Take Control ·        determine team members Locus of Control so that you can determine where they fall on this spectrum ·        external locus of control o   Set modest goals o   achieve some quick wins o   help them build their self-confidence o   remind them of their strengths and past successes o   teach them to think positively

Don't Micromanage ·        learn the art of delegation ·        avoid micromanagement ·        Give your people the freedom they need to make their own decisions ·        be ready to guide them in the right direction if required

Give Plenty of Praise ·        give plenty of praise when people do take responsibility ·        help them improve by providing them with consistent, effective, fair feedback