Lean Tip
#3526 – Increase Accountability by Linking Responsibilities to PurposeOne way
to increase accountability in the workplace is to help individuals realize the
impact that they have. Every organization has a goal or mission, and
professionals who can link their individual actions to that greater mission may
feel an increased sense of purpose and responsibility. Individuals may feel
more accountable doing smaller tasks, like filling out spreadsheets or sorting
files, if they have a complete understanding of the purpose of that smaller
task.Lean Tip
#3527 – Increase Accountability by Creating a Safe Space for GrowthBesides
taking credit for successes, personal accountability can also include taking
responsibility for mistakes. Workplaces that are committed to helping
individuals correct accidental mistakes may create a culture of support and
learning that makes it easier for individuals to take responsibility for their
actions. This can help those individuals to try new ideas and take on new
responsibilities with the confidence that their workplace can support them
through their period of growth and learning.Lean Tip
#3528 – Increase Accountability by Encouraging Mutual Respect A key
aspect of accountability is holding respect for those around you. This may
involve following through on agreed-upon actions and expressing trust that
others may do the same. Companies should allow their employees more freedom in
their work or schedule as a method of establishing this trust and helping
individuals to develop accountability.This can
work because it increases the amount of ownership that individuals have over
their work, which may lead to an increased sense of personal responsibility for
that work. Prioritizing being on time can be a great way to foster
accountability. This may demonstrate that you respect the schedule of the
person with whom you’re meeting, which can help to establish mutual respect.Lean Tip
#3529 – Increase Accountability by Evaluating Your Teammates’ ProgressSetting
goals is great – but it is impossible to establish accountability in the
workplace without evaluating the progress of your team. Feedback is the
backbone of evaluating progress in the workplace. Your employees’ feedback on
where they are in realizing their goals is just as important as your feedback
on the means of attaining those goals. Where there is always room to learn and
to grow, make sure that you put a focus on positive reinforcement and
motivating your employees to keep moving towards their goals.Lean Tip
#3530 – Increase Accountability by Providing Opportunities for ImprovementA major
contributing factor to accountability in the workplace is you, as a manager,
investing in your employee’s development. In doing so, you and the team as a
whole will certainly reap the benefits as you continue to grow by acquiring new
knowledge and adapting best practices. It is important that you make it clear to your
employees that you have a genuine interest and willingness in supporting their
professional development. Knowing that you are investing time in your employees’
success is going to motivate them to continue learning and growing, making them
even more of an asset to the organization.Lean Tip
#3531 – Create a Safe and Supportive EnvironmentThe
starting point for productive idea sharing is creating an atmosphere where your
team feels comfortable. Nobody will share their ideas if they think they’ll be
shown up or embarrassed for doing so. You need to inspire open and honest
communication in your team to create an environment where people want to share
ideas. This means committing to transparency, providing support to team
members, and really listening when people share.Lean Tip
#3532 – Encourage a Culture of Continuous LearningYour team
should be encouraged – and provided with the support for – ongoing learning and
growth. In order for a culture of learning to really take root, your team needs
a certain level of curiosity. Fortunately, this is something that most people
have by the bucketful, to the point that some scientists see it as “innate in
all humans — a sensation much like hunger or thirst.” Your role at work is to
direct that innate curiosity into productive innovation by offering your team
the time, space, and resources they need to thrive. Lean Tip
#3533 – Encourage Personal Ownership of IdeasIn the
same way your team should be accountable as a group, you should also encourage
team members to take ownership of their individual ideas. This doesn’t mean
blocking other people’s input and support but instead encouraging individuals
to stand firm behind their suggestions and solutions.This is
especially important when the idea does not impact the whole team or company
since each individual should feel empowered to carry ideas forward within the
scope of their own work. Management can help by offering support and mentorship
as needed –through formal programs and less formal knowledge sharing.Lean Tip
#3534 – Foster a Culture of Feedback and ImprovementIdeas
shared without feedback limit the value an individual and a team can take from
them. It curbs a person’s professional growth by removing an opportunity to
learn from their successes and failures. As well as providing feedback
yourself, you should also encourage open and honest feedback on ideas and
implementation from the entire team.Part of
this needs to include providing team members with the time and space to reflect
so they can take learnings from feedback and use it as part of their ongoing
professional development. This time also allows your team members to reflect
and give feedback on their own work, which can be equally as valuable for
creative ideas sharing.Don’t let
feedback languish in email accounts and chat threads; actively implement it
into your projects and processes. This draws value from it as well as shows
your team that engaging in honest feedback is taken seriously.Lean Tip
#3535 – Reward Employee CreativityA great
way to build team collaboration is to incentivize employees when they offer new
ideas. A little healthy competition can stoke more creativity as employees push
themselves to think outside the box while working towards a prize. And it
doesn’t really matter what form your contest takes. Whether it’s between
individuals or teams, your people will often be more excited to share their
ideas as long as they’re properly motivated.Lean Tip
#3536 – Ask Questions to Foster IdeasAsking
questions from your employees is the quickest way to generate new ideas. It
helps in teaching deeper thinking across all employees. It empowers the
employees to look at even routine tasks and think if they can be done more
quickly. That leads to innovative thinking across the company.Lean Tip
#3537 – Listen to Both Good and Bad IdeasIf you’re
not willing to hear what your staff have to share, don’t make the promise to
listen to them. You must be ready to receive both favorable and negative
feedback.If an
employee is persistent about an idea that you don’t think is feasible, you
still need to consider it seriously. No matter how incredible it may sound at
first, an idea can still contain workable elements that you can use in more
practical applications.Lean Tip
#3538 – Show Your Team You’re EngagedIf your
employees feel that you don’t pay attention when they speak, or that you don’t
value their thoughts and opinions, they’ll shut down.Demonstrate
engagement by being present during meetings. This includes making eye contact
and shutting your laptop. It’s easy to get distracted by emails or text
messages during a meeting—but these small acts of disengagement can negatively
impact your team’s psychological safety.Engagement
also means listening to what others have to say. Practice active listening. Ask
questions to make sure you understand the other person’s ideas or opinions. By
actively engaging, you create an environment where people feel it’s only OK to
speak up; in fact, it’s encouraged and accepted.Lean Tip
#3539 – Avoid Blaming to Build TrustIt’s easy
when something goes awry to look for someone to blame. But, to build and
maintain psychological safety in the workplace, focus on solutions.Instead
of “What happened and why?” ask “How can we make sure this goes better next
time? Notice the focus on the collaborative language: How can we make sure this
goes smoothly next time? We statements turn the responsibility into a group
effort, rather than singling out an individual for a mistake.Lean Tip
#3540 – Nip Negativity in the BudIf you
have a team member who speaks negatively about peers, talk to them about it. Be
clear; let them know that you work together as a team and negativity will not
be tolerated.When
leaders allow negativity to stand, it can become contagious and spread to
others. Employees will think that either they’re supposed to talk bad about
others, or that others are probably talking about them. In, either case, it’s a
psychological safety killer.
A Lean Journey: Lean Tips Edition #300 (#3526
