How to encourage workers to own their job
Your leadership determines their direction. Here are 10 ways to encourage your people to turn right, own their job and control their future in your organization:
1.Share your vision – Help employees feel part of something bigger than themselves. Communicate your mission and vision to them early and often, and ask for their continual input so that they see what you see and are committed to working toward that result.
2.Involve employees in goal setting and planning activities – Seek out their ideas, knowledge, and insights, and invite them to help make important decisions. At the very least, let them see your process for making difficult decisions.
3.Explain the “why” — Don’t just tell someone what to do without making absolutely certain they also understand why that task needs to be completed and why you’ve selected that individual for the job. Give the job context in the bigger picture of your operation.
4.Let them choose the “how” — Whenever possible, let your employees decide how to achieve the task you’ve assigned. Agree upon what constitutes a successful outcome, then let them chart their own course. This builds ownership in the process and they might figure out a method for getting the job done that is superior to the one you would have assigned. If that happens, call attention to it. If they choose a poor methodology, don’t jump in and scold them, but rather ask questions that enable them to see better options and give ‘em another chance.