by American Management Association
18. July 2010 23:00
Declaring employees free to make decisions themselves is easy, but actually getting them to do so can be tricky.
Here are some tips on how to get your employees to take responsibility for the decisions they make:
Teach your employees how to think critically by turning their questions back on them—when they bring a problem to you, don’t be so quick to offer a solution, even if it’s obvious to you. Ask the individual, “What do you think you should do?” “Why should you do it?” “What are the risks?” and encourage individual members to go back to consult with other members of the team.
Meet resistance with patient persistence. Yes, there will be those employees who are perfectly happy with the status quo and have little interest in making the right decision or solving an ongoing problem. They prefer a 9 to 5 job with little responsibility beyond doing what they are told. However, with some persistence and the help of members of the team (think “peer pressure”), you may be able to encourage these individuals to take on more responsibility.
Positive reinforcement is key. If they are successful in their decision making congratulate them. If they make a mistake, use the error in judgment as a learning opportunity, not a reason for pointing blame. And, finally, use the rest of the team: Focus on what these individuals do best and ask for help from them for the team.