Situation: A CEO is discouraged because employees are neither taking initiative nor holding themselves accountable for results. They see potential problems, but don’t act to either prevent or resolve them. They continually bring situations to the CEO and expect the CEO to solve the problem or save the day.  What have others done to shift responsibility and accountability to staff? How do you encourage employees to take full responsibility for their jobs?

Advice from the CEOs:

• There are two important questions to ask:
  • Is this a situation that includes a large number of employees or just a few? If it’s just a few then these situations can be handled individually. If more than a few then systemic changes may be necessary.
  • Are all employees clear on their responsibilities and what is expected of them? Is there written documentation on responsibilities associated with specific roles or individuals? Has this been communicated to individual employees during performance reviews?
• It is essential that direction and individual responsibility be clearly stated and understood. Encourage dialogue once direction or instruction is given to test understanding. Important direction should be documented in writing.
• Have clear core values been established that guide both the company and individual responsibility and decisions? Have these core values been publicized and posted in break  areas as well as work areas? Use the core values to assess employees’ work to reinforce emphasis.
• Assure that employees are clearly empowered to make decisions. This is particularly  important if employees have been subjected to micromanagement in the past.
• Ask for and encourage dialogue, both in one-on-one situations and in team and company meetings. Make employees part of the decision process so that they feel ownership over their responsibilities. Assure that excellent performance is recognized, rewarded and publicized.

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