Recap Leader Quick Tip: There is a proven way to get employee ownership of projects and tasks

There are two common ways of doing this.

The first is to put on your thinking cap and figure out how to persuade the employee to take ownership.

Ask yourself questions like:

1. What does he want?
2. What will excite him?
3. What will entice him?

Then  ask yourself “How can I get buy in?”

It helps if you’ve tried this approach before.

Why? Because you know it takes a lot of time, and it never works very well.

This is good to know.

With the second approach, you don’t waste time guessing, you invest in the employee.

1. Spell out what is involved in the project and the expected results
2. Ask “What has to happen for you to take charge of this project and do a great job with it?”
3. Listen for how motivated he will be with the project
4. If his motivation is not strong, find out why, discuss and resolve

Remember, the conditions for motivation:

1. “I can do the project.” (Belief-1)
2. “Outcomes will be tied to my performance.” (Belief-2)
3. “The outcomes will be satisfying if I get them.” (Belief-3)

If all three of these conditions are not met, motivation will suffer.

You can’t force ownership. It may be time to consider assigning the project to someone else.

If you’re looking for more information on creating ownership, see our new book, INSPIRING WOMEN: BECOMING Courageous, Wise Leaders.

If you’re interested in executive coaching, leadership consulting, leadership training, or boosting employee morale, call us at 678.576.5207.

Martha Forlines & Thad Green

Tags: conditions for motivation, employee ownership, employee responsibility

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