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When appropriate, I can act on my own without asking for approval.
Survey Domain: Manager
Survey Theme: Employee Involvement
Understanding the Issue: The first step is to understand the issues behind the survey performance scores. Unless you are absolutely sure that you understand the issues related to a particular survey item, the best place to start is identifying them, and the section Understanding Issues can help you do so. The activities described in Understanding Issues can be used for any of the survey items.
When this item scores unfavorably, it may indicate that employees do not feel empowered to perform their job responsibilities, and/or that there is a lack of trust between work unit management and employees. Employees may also be confused about what is expected of them.
Once employees become proficient with their responsibilities and take ownership for seeing them completed in a quality-focused/customer-focused manner (accountability), they are ready to grow in responsibility. They value their manager’s guidance in how to respond to non-standard situations, especially guidance on situations when it is appropriate for them to make the call. Not all employees are comfortable handling "gray areas", so it is best to tailor this guidance for each employee's personality and career goals.
Improvement ideas:
Clearly communicate job accountabilities to all employees. Sometimes when employees are not sure of what they are supposed to do, they do not feel confident to work unsupervised.
Provide constructive feedback to employees by reviewing their work frequently. Employees who properly complete their tasks should be given the opportunity to work with little supervision.
For employees who need additional supervision, provide constructive feedback to help them improve their performance. Set clear expectations of how they can meet and exceed the needs and expectations of the work unit. What will their performance look like when it is good enough for them to work independently?
Recognize and reward individuals who can work autonomously with minimum supervision.
Encourage employees to ask questions rather than seek approval. Even when employees require assistance or confirmation that their approach is correct, be sure to respond in a supportive manner. Avoid being directive unless you have no alternative and if you do, be sure to follow up with the employee and help them understand why you needed to direct rather than empower in that case.
Ask yourself if you have a need to be in control. Subconsciously, you may be afraid to "let go" and empower your employees. If so, remind yourself that your role is to develop employees and make them less dependent on you. If necessary, ask your manager or HR representative to coach you on improvement in this area.
Delegate more responsibilities to others. Appropriate delegation can be extremely beneficial in reducing your responsibilities while developing your employees’ skills.
Encourage appropriate risk taking. When mistakes are made, ask employees what they learned from the experience and ask how that learning can be applied to future situations. Avoid overreacting; confirm your confidence in the employee.
Share insights on how to evaluate the "gray areas" which employees will need to deal with as they become more empowered. You should not assume that they automatically develop this skill; it must be learned, and you can make the transition to an empowered employee easier with your coaching.
(MI 61)