If you’ve ever worked with a team of people, then you know that some are more likely to take responsibility than others. This isn’t always by choice: in fact, sometimes it can be because some people don’t want their jobs or their responsibilities. But whether it’s a matter of choice or not, many people will never become responsible in the way you want them to unless you do something about it. Here are seven ways to encourage others to take responsibility for their actions:
1 Help them get a vision for excellence
I’ve found that the best way to encourage others to take responsibility is by helping them get a vision for excellence. Help them see what it looks like, feel what it feels like, and experience the benefits of being excellent. Here are some steps you can take:
- Show them how excellence will help them (and their team) succeed in their current role.
- Show them how excellence will help them grow as professionals.
- Explain how being excellent will benefit the company as well (e.g., increase revenue; improve customer satisfaction).
2 Expect excellence
Expect excellence and you will see it in others. You can’t expect something if you don’t believe in it, and if you do believe in it, then you will help make it happen. Expect excellence and the world will be a better place. The world is full of people who are
waiting for someone else to tell them what they want to achieve or how they should live their lives. If we all started expecting excellence from ourselves and each other, we would see an explosion of creativity like never before! If I ask a child what they want to do when they grow up, most of the time they won’t have an answer for me because most adults never asked them that question before… We need more people asking questions like this because the answers could change our whole world!
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3 Lead by example
The best way to encourage others to take responsibility is by leading by example. You are setting the tone for your team, and as such, it’s important that you lead by example. This means that if you want someone else on your team to take more responsibility, they need to see how much responsibility you take yourself.
- You can demonstrate this in many ways:
- Be a good role model
- Show people what behavior looks like at work and outside of work
- Show people how you expect things done right and wrong—and then give them more detail on how they can do something better
4 Get a commitment to excellence
If you want someone to take responsibility, get them to commit to excellence. That’s the formula.
- Make sure they know what is expected of them. Make sure they know how to do the job at hand.
- Tell them what’s in it for them if they do their best work, and that doing their best work will make our organization better overall (meaning everyone benefits).
5 Reward responsibility
Rewarding responsibility is important. It’s also different from rewarding results.
For example, if a team member takes on additional responsibilities and performs them well, you can reward that by giving them more autonomy or opportunities in the future.
This lets them know that they are trusted and valued by the company, which will motivate them to continue taking on new challenges and responsibilities with confidence.
6 Use responsibility encouraging words
There are several ways you can encourage others to take responsibility.
- Use encouraging words. When giving feedback, use words like “I trust you” or “I know you can do it.” These positive phrases will help motivate others to take on more responsibilities and perform better.
- Use straightforward language when asking for advice from your employees, colleagues or friends about a situation that has caused conflict within the workplace or at home. This will allow them to voice their ideas freely without feeling as though they have been put on the spot by asking a potentially difficult question that could embarrass them in front of other people who may overhear the conversation (such as their coworkers). It also gives them an opportunity to correct any misconceptions they might have regarding what happened while still remaining polite towards everyone involved in resolving whatever conflict arose between those two individuals earlier today!
7 Analyze the process and payoff of taking responsibility
Excellence does not randomly strike like lightning. It’s the result of certain acts of responsibility taking. And the process can be replicated, if it’s understood.
So it’s not enough to acknowledge the other person’s excellence. The best way to keep it going is help him understand the reason it came about in the first place. WHY did things turn out right and HOW can he replicate that?
For example, if an individual had an unusually good month in sales, recognize it and ask her why. Did she use a different approach to prospecting or in closing the sale? Did she make more sales calls or approach a different type of clientele? Did she create a new presentation?
People who are given responsibility become responsible people.
The way to get others to take responsibility is to give them responsibility. That’s it! If you want someone to become more responsible, give them the opportunity to be responsible and they will develop their own sense of responsibility.
If you don’t give people any opportunities for responsibility, chances are they won’t become any more responsible than they already are. And if they do not have a sense of personal or professional accountability, it will be hard for them to accept responsibility when it is given.
People who are given responsibility become responsible people. When we recognize those who take on more than they’re expected to, we encourage them to do so again the next time an opportunity arises. By setting high expectations and communicating clearly with your team, you can encourage others to take more responsibility without micromanaging them.