Technique 1.129 Contributor Safety (introspection questions)
Introduction
Humans crave fulfilment and work is meaningful if you can create value, not just complete tasks.
"...contributor safety satisfies the basic human need to make a difference at other meaningful contributions. When we create contributor safety for others we empower them with autonomy, guidance, and encouragement in exchange for effort and results..."
LeaderFactor, 2022b
This results in teams driving under-outcome accountability; roles are clearly defined; people are encouraged to think outside their roles and think critically; celebrate small wins.
If contributor safety is absence, chaos can occur, as
"...autonomy might be given a little to no guidance, or team members may feel like micromanaged benchwarmers.your teams could be stuck in mundane routine task execution, unengaged, and unhappy with their contribution to your organisation..... They may have all the autonomy in the world, but not enough direction to make anything worthwhile happen..."
LeaderFactor, 2022b
Some introspection questions
"...1. Do you collaborate effectively with other members of your team?
2. Do you respect only the high achievers and highly educated?
3. Do you recognise that insights can come from some of the most unlikely people?
4. Can you be genuinely happy for the success of others?
5. Do you empower others without micromanaging them?
6. Have you ever withheld contributor safety from someone when they have earned it?
7. Do you freely share your experience, knowledge and skills?
8. Are you emotionally advanced beyond needing to hear yourself talk?
9. Do you see the potential of others on your team..."
LeaderFactor, 2022b
Some additional questions:
- Do you struggle to let everyone participate?
- Do you focus your efforts on including everyone in meaningful contribution?
- Do you tend to keep your talents to yourself or make an effort to share them?
- Are you willing to keep quiet in the meeting that is going well, even if that means no one hears your voice?
Use the answers to the above questions to determine
- Are you the problem?
- How are you involved? ie do you know when to stop talking and when to intervene?
- Do you tell (advocacy) more than you ask (discovery)?, ie you need to be willing to ask more than you tell.
Advocacy means that you tell more than you ask
"...you're more concerned with being the centre of attention than you are on centering your attention on questions, concerns, and solutions. You're inclined to solve problems for others and believe that it'll be faster than letting them solve it themselves..."
LeaderFactor, 2022b
Discovery means that you lead through questions and answers and teach your staff to be self starters, critical thinkers and autonomous value-creators.
- How much autonomy to give?, ie you need to be willing to let go of all aspects of the project.
However,
"...too much autonomy with little guidance will leave your team with more questions than they know what to do with. Too much guidance with zero autonomy will turn your team into robots with no space to innovate......call the former the Absentee Landlord and the latter the Micromanager..."
LeaderFactor, 2022b
Micromanager
"...not all micro managers have evil intentions. Many are kind, benevolent, involve leaders who don't want their team to feel abandoned, who worry about wasting time, and who know they have a lot to offer in terms of expertise. They may hold back from giving full responsibility without realising that limiting autonomy takes a lot of fun and fulfillment out of the work. They may feel heavy responsibility for the outcomes of certain tasks and process. They may not want to introduce the variance and volatility of somebody else having more influence over these outcomes. While they may have their team's best interests at heart, micromanagers suffocate the potential of their motivated, talented team members when they withhold autonomy..."
LeaderFactor, 2022b
Absentee Landlord
"...some leaders put full trust in their teams and give them complete autonomy. They assume that handing over of all the responsibility will yield perfect outcomes every time......imperfect processes, less-than-sufficient communication, and human error make guidance a need, not just a nice-to-have. Even highly motivated, talented people need clear expectations and guidance......while you might trust your team, it never hurts to check-in and give support and feedback along the way..."
LeaderFactor, 2022b