Is There a Way to Make Your Employees Care More? Yes.
And it’s Probably Not What You Think.
There are many organisations struggling to get their team to take ownership and be more proactive. The common argument is that it comes from the individuals — some people just have it in them, they’re great at taking initiatives and moving others with them (sometimes we call them “natural leaders”). Others are labelled as just “doers”: we give them work, they do ok, but they aren’t proactive, they don’t speak up when they need to, and if things go south, they often hold some resentment and are on the way to leaving the organisation.
So, with this belief in mind, we start seeking to bring more proactive people into the organisation, piling job descriptions with keywords such as “self-starter”, “ambitious”, “determined”, or my favourite: “motivated”. I find these ridiculous. First of all, they’re redundant — no person seeking a job will disqualify themselves by saying “Oh, they’re looking for somebody who is a self-starter. That’s not me, thanks. I won’t pass the criteria, so I’ll spare them time and won’t apply.” Secondly, the way people approach the job has a lot to do with a frame of reference. If an organisation has fostered a culture of proactivity, most people will become that sought-after ambitious self-starter. If that highly motivated person gets into an organisation that leads with fear, you will quickly get a “doer”.
The problem is, people who are struggling to create a thriving culture, are mostly unconsciously creating a general feeling of lack of safety, which is the core issue that doesn’t encourage people to seek autonomy and hold themselves accountable.
It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve shared your company’s vision, company values, spoken about the importance of taking ownership, teaching them what ownership is and voiced your wishes for them. If people don’t feel safe, you will not move a needle. They will nod politely and little would effectively change. The fact is, everyone would love to be a part of the culture you’re trying to create, but no one will tell you how you’re missing the mark in creating it. It’s not so much about what you say. It’s about subtle cues they’ll pick up that you should be mindful of.
Creating a safe environment means winning the trust of your people. This won’t come from words, but your actions. I’ve broken down a few key areas you should be focusing your attention to.
1. Understand how dopamine works
One of the key ways to encourage proactivity is to trigger somebody’s dopamine reward mechanism. Dopamine is responsible for the good feeling that comes in when you accomplish a task successfully. It’s one way our brain is being told to “keep doing more of the good thing”. Once a person feels like they’ve been successful, their dopamine goes up, their self-esteem goes up and they will be seeking to get that feeling more often.
In practical terms, you should strive to give people positive feedback one they’ve accomplished things well. This goes beyond the operational work itself. Has somebody managed to engage in a difficult conversation in spite of being shy? Acknowledge that. Has somebody understood their limits and successfully asked for help? Acknowledge that. You get the idea. If they managed to break through what would normally be uncomfortable for them, that should be paid attention to and acknowledged.
Beware of not overpraising them, our brains get quickly used to dopamine and will be seeking more of it to feel the same “high” the next time. Find a good balance here. Give positive feedback when people have stretched themselves a bit further, when they give about 10–15% more effort than what they put into a similar task previously. Give incentives once they stretch themselves beyond that level, and follow this rule consistently.
2. Provide a clear and consistent framework
People will feel more comfortable in embracing freedom in their work, if they have a clear picture of what is considered a well-done job. Equally, they need to feel everyone is treated equally, in order to be able to trust the organisation. Consistency is key. You might have all of the roles levelled, a robust evaluation and review process, clear incentivising scheme and everything neatly drafted on paper by HR, but there could be small subtleties that poke questions. Is a manager (or an executive) overtly favouring one employee over others? Are silos starting to emerge? These things can stir fears of speaking honestly due to fear of bias.
Over-performers will naturally be praised more. Be mindful of using their successes to inspire others, and not triggering shame in under-performers by setting them as an example. You can encourage the over-performers to share how they’ve successfully accomplished tasks and inspire and mentor other people on how to use similar methods.
3. Make time for them
One of the most basic ways to create a safe work environment is to make time for your employees — especially those who need more time and help than others. Making time for your employees means being available, accessible, and attentive to their needs, concerns, and ideas. It means listening to them actively, empathetically, and respectfully, and responding to them appropriately, constructively, and in a timely manner. It means showing them that you care about them as individuals, not just as workers, and that you value their input and feedback.
You will notice that some people need more of your attention because they might be anxious of making a mistake. If they don’t feel confident, there is simply no other way than to give them more of your time. This is a sign they don’t feel safe yet — and it is fine. Think about what information they are missing in order to feel more confident in their choices. Give it to them. Set clear direction and show them that you trust that they can correct their own mistakes, and encourage them to trust themselves.
It might take a bit more of your time at the beginning, but clear goals and expectations are key. Equip them with all the tools they need to carve their own path to success and give them the support and guidance they need to grow and succeed. Celebrate with them when they come to the end, and they will feel empowered to seek more autonomy.
4. Hold yourself to the same standards
Another critical way to create a safe environment is to hold yourself to the same standards that you expect from your employees. It doesn’t matter how many times you held a motivational speech during a presentation and spoke about company values, and how encouraged you’d like them to be to take more ownership. If start shifting blame whenever you are faced with criticism, your words are just empty words.
Company values are meaningless if the management doesn’t model them. For some reason, companies love printing these out and putting them on the walls as if they were Commandments. If your boss said “You should care”, would you honestly care? Chances are you will nod your head and laugh it off in the pub. But if they showed you some care, would that make a difference?
Model the behaviours and attitudes that you want to see in your work environment. Practice what you preach and people will follow.
5. Separate behaviour from character
The key to addressing challenging behaviour is to not make people feel personally attacked. Some people struggle with criticism because they perceive it as challenge to who they are, not to the way they’re currently doing something. You should focus on the actions and outcomes of your employees, not on their personality or character. Address the behaviour with calmness and care. You are here to help them improve.
Avoid judgemental looks, labelling, stereotyping, generalisations based on their behaviour, or making assumptions or judgments about their motives or intentions. Instead, ask questions and seek to understand them, such as “What made you do that?”, “How did you feel about that?”, or “What were you hoping to achieve?”. Listen empathetically to their answers, and try to understand their perspective, needs and feelings. Express your appreciation for their honesty and willingness to share. We can often get frustrated by certain behaviours if we jump to immediate conclusions. You will notice how easy it becomes to give helpful advice if you understand what it really is that they are struggling with.
6. Know your own limitations
You can’t and you won’t control everything. This is ok. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you might encounter situations where people aren’t responding as you hoped. It’s important not to take this as a failure but rather as an opportunity to learn and adjust your approach. And more importantly, do not forget that you are the one who is setting the tone and the example for the environment you would like to create.
As you go, you will make mistakes. Again, this is ok, as long you genuinely want to correct those and are setting the bar for yourself and applying the good principles consistently. Cultivating patience is essential. Culture shifts take time, and creating a safe space for proactive behaviour requires consistent effort over an extended period. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is a thriving organisational culture.
In summary,
Boost your people’s self-esteem
Be consistent
Make time to help people
Practice what you preach
Address behaviours, not personalities
Be patient
