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Leading a team can cause burnout if the manager is the only one who makes decisions. Sometimes groups become too dependent on their leader, creating an environment where one person is responsible for fighting every fire. So how can you move away from that? Through ownership or co-ownership.
Our Culture Chief Sunny explains it here:
If your organization's values and purpose are engrained into the foundation of your culture - co-ownership is a bit easier to come by since everyone uses them to make decisions. If not, what are some other ways you can begin fostering co-ownership? Here are a few unique ideas you can implement sooner rather than later:
1) Lunch N' Learns
Similar to Hubspot's Mystery Dinner initiative, you can do the same thing with lunch! We recommend instead of going straight to business here that you start off encouraging your team members to present or teach anything at all - maybe something they are passionate about to get the ball rolling. Then you can move onto different topics or even create a sense of progress by having them talk about a recent work accomplishment. When employees talk about the work they are doing, they automatically feel more ownership in their role!
2) Delegate Partnered Work
Maybe one person on your team is great at reporting, but another person wants to be better at it. Why not ask them to work together next time? Not only will it equip another team member with a valuable skill, but it creates a sense of ownership for the success of the team/project. Better yet, if the veteran is out on vacation, you have another person on the team who can step in! An A+ for adaptability.
3) The Worst ______ Ever
Too many people are afraid to take ownership because they are fearful of the consequences of potential mistakes. In Google's study of their most successful teams, they found that those with psychological safety felt they could speak up, make mistakes, and feel both safe and supported. How can you do that?
Ask your team to create the *worst* _______ ever. Whether it's a sales pitch, marketing brochure, or presentation, give them a fun way to make mistakes and blunders. Use this light-hearted exercise as an introduction to how your team will handle mishaps and support one another going forward.
Ownership and accountability are benefits of a culture based on values and purpose. Learn more what it takes to transform your culture:
