The top ten ways to create and share ownership:
- Empower Decision-Making: Allow employees to make choices regarding how they perform their jobs. Whenever feasible, include them in decisions affecting the company’s operations.
- Incorporate Rewards: Design reward systems that reflect both the company’s overall success and the achievements of individual departments. Base rewards on outcomes as well as behaviors.
- Encourage Open Communication: Maintain transparency by sharing both successes and setbacks.
- Prioritize Personal Interaction: Whenever possible, foster personal communication. A face-to-face meeting with the CEO for a group of 50 is often more impactful than a newsletter or memo.
- Delegate Fully: When assigning a project, relinquish control entirely. Offer support and resources, but avoid solving problems for them. Focus on the desired outcomes rather than the specifics.
- Promote Self-Expression: Allow individuals to represent themselves. If a report or presentation is needed, delegate it to the project owner.
- Share Long-Term Goals: Keep employees informed about the company’s long-term vision and provide options for their involvement, such as through career and succession planning.
- Adopt a Holistic Approach: Emphasize quality alongside quantity, customer satisfaction, and other emotional factors across the organization.
- Invest in Development: Provide opportunities for employees to learn and try new things. Support their initiatives, and refrain from saying “I told you so” if things don’t go as planned.
- Foster Cooperation and Creativity: Cultivate an environment that encourages collaboration and innovation rather than competition.
