“Empower your people to shape the future. Authorship is ownership. When you involve your people in building the future, they feel a sense of ownership.”
– Geoff Woods
For many of us it’s easy to default to “here’s what you need to do” (top-down leadership) instead of empowering our people to own the plan which will create the future. Top-down feels faster. It feels safer. But in doing so, we often unknowingly erode the very thing we need most from our teams: genuine commitment. There’s a significant difference between compliance and engagement. A team that follows instructions will get the job done. A team that helped build the plan will move mountains to make sure it succeeds – because it’s theirs.
Why it matters –
Employee disengagement isn’t just a morale issue, it’s a performance and retention crisis. When people feel like cogs in a machine rather than architects of something meaningful, they disengage quietly and often invisibly, until they leave.
- 69% of employees work harder when their contributions are recognized and valued
- 3× more likely to stay when employees feel a sense of ownership in their work
- 23% higher profitability in organizations with highly engaged teams
Practical application: From directive to co-creator: a shift in practice
Shifting from “telling” to “involving” doesn’t mean abdicating your leadership. It means elevating it. Here’s how to begin:
- Start with the “why,” not the “what”
Share the challenge, the goal, and the constraints, then invite your team to help define the path. When people understand the purpose behind the mission, their solutions tend to be more creative and more durable. - Ask questions more than you answer them
Replace “here’s the plan” with “what do you think we’re missing?” or “how would you approach this?” You’ll surface ideas you never would have found alone and your team will feel genuinely invested in the outcome. The 8 Factors of Employee Engagement is a great place to start. This short survey provides a follow up process and accountability to create future connectedness and growth. - Give authorship over meaningful decisions
Let team members lead the design of their own workflows, initiatives, or KPIs. Even small decisions, for example how a meeting runs or how progress is tracked will build a culture of ownership. - Credit the authors publicly
When a team member’s idea becomes reality, name it. Recognition reinforces the value of contribution and invites others to participate.
Reflection for this week
Think of one upcoming decision or initiative where you would normally hand down the plan. What would it look like to bring your team into the authorship of it instead?
Leaders who involve, win!
The most engaged teams aren’t the ones with the best perks or the flashiest mission statements. They’re the ones where people feel that their fingerprints are genuinely on the work and that the future they’re building is, in part, one they designed.
This shift doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built through every conversation where you pause and ask instead of telling. Every meeting where you hand the planning and the pen to someone else (which can be difficult). Every moment you choose co-creation over control.
Authorship is ownership. And ownership is everything.
Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or when you need help with assessment results:
Employee Engagement / Development or Hiring Decisions. – Lindsay – 206-533-9700
