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Many of the things we do today depend on others — people who don’t work for us. I’m sure that you have encountered colleagues who don’t take responsibility for their work, whether it was in a project or other professional interactions.
It can be frustrating to work with coworkers that don’t take the initiative. This means that your job becomes one of micromanaging, spoon-feeding and general chasing people who earn enough to be more professionally.
It also takes up a lot time, time that could be better spent on your own job.
This is what you can do to improve your workplace. We’ll be looking at:
7 reasons people don’t accept responsibility for tasks
How to deal with lazy people
How to influence the culture in the office so that responsibility becomes a norm
Are you ready to learn how to support your colleagues to succeed? Let’s go.
This article:
Why aren’t people taking responsibility for their actions?#1 : They have never had to take responsibility before and don’t know what they should do now that they have it.
#2: They lack the skills to do the job.
#3: They don’t know how to manage their tasks or time.
#4: They don’t have the time.
#5: They think it’s boring or too easy.
#6: They didn’t sign up for the plan and think it’s unrealistic.
#7: They don’t trust or respect their coworkers.
Dealing with laziness
Six ways to get your team to take on more responsibility
Collaborate to determine the deadline
Encourage responsibility, not passiveness
You can go further: Video (video)
Continue reading
It is not easy to change your behavior. There are foolproof strategies that you can put into practice right away.
Why can’t people take responsibility and be accountable for their actions?
There is no clear answer. There are many reasons someone might not take full responsibility for their tasks, even though their job description states so.
To find out why they aren’t performing well on the team, you will need to have a conversation.
Here are 7 reasons people may be avoiding their work and what you can do to stop it.
#1: They have never had to take responsibility before and don’t know what they should do with it.
You can: Make it clear that they are responsible. You can tell them that they have the authority and power to decide what situations to place them in.
This can be done with the help of a RACI matrix or a roles and responsibilities document. Hold them accountable once they have agreed to their job description and all the responsibilities it entails. You might be surprised at their attitude change once they understand what is expected.
#2: They lack the skills to do the job.
You can help them if they are having trouble. They might find the work too difficult or too complex to do it all on their own.
They may not have the skills necessary to complete their tasks, but they can. If necessary, offer training or arrange mentoring.
The worst scenario is to remove them from your project team and replace them with someone who is capable of doing the job.
If you don’t know what Situational Leadership is, it’s worth learning. It involves assessing the skill (ability) and will (attitude) of your team members and then changing your management style accordingly.
People who are willing, but not skilled, are called keepers. You can help them with their tasks or give them training. They will hopefully take on responsibility for similar activities in the future.
#3: They don’t know how to manage their tasks or time.
You can: Help. Everybody can learn to manage their time and their work. You’re probably very good at this.