There’s a story about a CEO who engaged an independent consultant to improve company productivity. One autumn day, as they were leaving the office, they noticed an employee raking the lawn with a rake that had only seven of its twelve tines. It was clear the employee was struggling, going over the same area multiple times and still leaving behind leaves.

 

The CEO was furious. “Why would a supervisor allow an employee to work with such a poor tool? It’s no wonder our results are lacking!” The consultant responded, “Are you sure the supervisor is solely to blame?” The CEO acknowledged, “No, you’re right. It’s also my responsibility for not ensuring that all supervisors know the importance of providing proper tools. I’ll address this with them this afternoon.”

 

The consultant then asked, “Is there not another party who shares some responsibility?” The CEO was puzzled. “Who else could be at fault?” The consultant pointed out, “What about the employee? Where is their responsibility to ensure they have the right tools?”

Here is the Shared Management Model:

The Shared Management Model redistributes responsibilities between supervisors/managers and employees, alleviating the burden on management. Supervisors and managers are tasked with preparing employees through teaching, training, coaching, counselling, and support. Once a task is completed, it must be evaluated to ensure it meets expectations, but the ultimate responsibility for completing the work lies with the employee.

This model emphasizes the importance of the employee as a key member of the organization. It requires supervisors and managers to concentrate on fostering employee growth and development, enabling them to take ownership of their performance.

One critical role of a manager or supervisor is to clearly define what constitutes a good job and what employees need to do to achieve greater success. Identifying performance competencies and establishing goals or targets is an effective way to achieve this. It aligns individuals with expected performance standards and outcomes. Without a clear understanding of what excellence looks like and the steps needed to achieve it, employees may struggle to improve their performance or focus their efforts effectively.

Phase 1:

Preparation – External Manager

Phase 2:

Activation – Self-manager (Employee)

Phase 3:

Evaluation – External Manager