Management Tip of the Day: Let employees tell their stories

A businessman walks on an illuminated walkway in Tokyo November 13, 2008.

BOSTON (Reuters) - When many executives are surprised not only by the ownership and drive for implementation that comes from high-involvement approaches, but also by the improved quality of the answers that emerge, says Harvard Business Review.

The Management Tip of the Day offers quick, practical management tips and ideas from Harvard Business Review and HBR.org (http:\\www.hbr.org). Any opinions expressed are not endorsed by Reuters.

"Conventional approaches to change management urge leaders to set a vision and cascade it down the organization.

This may save time, but it misses an important point: When people make their own decisions, they are more dedicated to what follows. The energy needed to drive change comes through a sense of ownership over the answer.

Instead of dictating how the organization will evolve, take a high-involvement approach. Describe the problem you are trying to solve and then ask others how they would address it.

During these discussions, roughly lay out your vision, but ask employees how they picture the change taking place. This takes time and effort of course. But the payoff is huge."

- Today's management tip was adapted from "Increase Your Team's Motivation Five-Fold" by Scott Keller.

(For the full post and to join the discussion, see: here)