Many of today’s workplaces are moving away from predictable, hierarchical structures and becoming flatter, meaning that they have fewer levels of management and decision-making is distributed throughout the organization. Not only that, but there’s also now an increased pressure to continually adopt new tools, technologies and workflows in order to keep up with competitors. Adding to all of that the increased pace of change that today’s workplaces face, leaders can’t be expected to do everything themselves. Employees need to self-manage to ensure the organization doesn’t fall behind.
In other words, today’s employees can’t rely on traditional “command-and-control” leadership to instruct their work. They must learn how to work autonomously, identify skills gaps within themselves and become more active participants in their growth and development. That’s what a performance ownership mindset is all about.
Employees with a performance ownership mindset know how to recognize their needs and communicate them effectively to reach their goals, effectively taking ownership of their performance, hence the name. This mindset empowers them to self-lead and self-motivate, allowing them to prioritize their responsibilities, solve their problems and keep their projects moving forward entirely independently.
Performance ownership is a perspective that employees can develop and maintain throughout their careers. Here’s why it’s worth nurturing:
Employees who take ownership of their performance realize they’re empowered to define their own success and engagement at work rather than wait for a leader’s direction. They develop a deeper sense of accountability, demonstrating a willingness to identify, correct and learn from their mistakes.
For an organization, employee accountability like this can translate into a major performance boost. Employees who hold themselves accountable are more likely to solve problems themselves, which can lead to faster results and free up leaders to focus on higher-level goals, ultimately moving the company forward. Also, since accountable employees feel more responsible for the deliverables they produce, they are more likely to put greater care into the details, leading to higher-quality results.
Where accountability is encouraged, so is trust. That’s because in workplaces that promote accountability, employees feel empowered to own their work and openly discuss the areas they want to improve in, and leaders can trust that team members will communicate their needs transparently. In high-trust environments, employees can work more efficiently because they feel comfortable asking leadership for support as needed, rather than getting stuck trying to figure things out entirely on their own or second-guessing their decisions.
According to McKinsey’s 2024 Performance Management Survey, employees are more motivated when their performance goals include individual goals and are clearly linked to an organization’s overall objectives. With a performance ownership mindset, employees can collaborate with leaders on goal setting, sharing what they think they need to improve performance and be more effective in their role. This gives them a greater sense of purpose as they strive to achieve goals, keeping them more engaged with their work and actively contributing to the organization’s success.
Employees embracing a performance ownership mindset will continually look for opportunities to identify and address skills gaps. For example, if an employee is given a new task that they can’t perform to the required standard, they will advocate for more training, support or direction. Consequently, employees become more invested in delivering exceptional project results, and leaders don’t have to guess what their team members need to complete a task successfully.
Innovation is necessary for today’s businesses to adapt to changes and stay competitive. A performance ownership mindset drives innovation by creating an environment where employees feel safe taking creative risks and trying new things. In such an environment, employees aren’t just following along with processes. Instead, they are proactive in solving problems, exploring growth opportunities and propelling the organization forward.
With a performance ownership mindset, employees see themselves as more than a “number” and instead understand themselves as valued, respected contributors to an organization’s vision. This creates an atmosphere conducive to collaboration rather than blame and develops employees committed to driving company goals forward.
When organizations encourage performance ownership, they address a lack of career development opportunities, which is a common reason employees leave. Performance ownership creates opportunities for employees to recognize growth areas and get the training they need to develop new skills and take on more responsibilities.
Leaders can help employees develop a performance ownership mindset through the following strategies:
Leaders can look for ways to give employees at all skill levels more autonomy and a greater sense of control, trust and investment in project outcomes. For example, a high-performing employee might be given complete autonomy over a specific task, deciding for themselves how it’s done. An employee who is able but insecure about a task may be given opportunities to perform the task autonomously, but their leader might still check in regularly to have supportive conversations and offer guidance and encouragement. Any degree of autonomy can foster a performance ownership mindset.
Employees may be given decision-making powers suitable for their experience and roles. For instance, experienced team members might decide the order in which to complete tasks or be involved in process improvement initiatives. With newer employees, leaders might ask for their input when making low-risk decisions. In any case, when employees play a role in decision-making, it can make the process more efficient while also helping team members feel empowered.
An essential component of a performance ownership mindset is ongoing growth and development. Organizations can offer various educational or training resources to support employee growth. Leaders can discuss career aspirations and concerns during one-on-ones to determine a tailored progression path for each employee.
Giving feedback is part of helping employees remain accountable for their work. When leaders provide constructive feedback, they can help employees learn from their mistakes, provide a clear path forward and be supportive partners in the employee’s journey to self-management.
Leaders can reward performance ownership values like accountability and autonomy to reinforce them and their related behaviors. While rewarding performance ownership can involve monetary rewards, like promotions or bonuses, low-cost rewards can also be effective. Leaving a thank-you note or recognizing an employee’s initiative during a team meeting can make a big impact and encourage further performance ownership behaviors.
Performance ownership is a win-win for employees and the organization as a whole. Employees can derive a greater sense of purpose and achievement in their work when they take ownership of their success. Meanwhile, organizations can build a more innovative, collaborative and productive workforce when employees are encouraged to self-manage and continually grow their skills.
At The Center for Leadership Studies (CLS), we make developing a culture of performance ownership simple. Our Situational Performance Ownership™ course was specifically designed to empower employees to embrace accountability and actively participate in their growth and development. Contact us today to learn more about our Situational Performance Ownership™ course and how it can help your team members become more engaged and accountable!
