Comments on: How Do You Create Responsible Employees?

By: gene McCubbin

gene McCubbin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 20:39:33 +0000

Well written. There is a long list of responsibilities a leader has to / for their constituencies; leading, mentoring, communicating are only a small part of this long lost. This list starts with the responibility to Lead and Manage, despite the unpopularity your decisions may sometimes incur. For example – Ronald Regan said, “Trust but verify.” Employees require leadership that clearly communicates job requirements and then follows up on said expectations; rewarding or punishing as deemed neccessary. Like a parent that tells their child to use proper table manners, don’t touch a hot stove, eat your vegetables… Leadership (and love / concern) is also having the guts to say something unpopular or even that angers the other person… B/C you care.

Last, a leader has to recognize that they can’t change other people…they have to seek that change themselves. Great employees are found not changed. I just read “We don’t teach people to be great. We simply hire great people. We must learn to help those who deserve it, not just those who need it. Life responds to deserve not need.” – Jim Rohn

By: Grayson De Ritis

Grayson De Ritis — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:52:05 +0000

Fabulous blog entry here, Kelsey. Chris made what I feel is a great comment, in follow-up.

There is indeed quite a difference between just managing, and truly leading, as I have witnessed and experienced throughough my years as a working person; a student, and a competitor.

Whenever I find myself in a position to act as a manager in my other endeavours outside of my current job, no matter the level of the project, I participate and project myself, as part of the team. Although a manager does indeed almost always have inherent authority over those lower on the totem pole, I have found that success has come more often and in bigger ways when management believes in and acts upon the same methods you have mentioned here in this post.

With micro-managing teammates and projecting a sense of no return on investment of time and concentrated effort, a serious disconnect is birthed and almost always ultimately snuffs out a significant amount of potential success.

At this point in my life, I am lucky to have met and worked with some great leaders, and am currently involved with some quality projects. As I am one to always better myself, I find that I am gravitating more heavily, and quicker to those who truly lead; because I am able to recognize them from the get-go.

By: Barbara Aquino

Barbara Aquino — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:51:07 +0000

I agree.. Out of the 4 functions of management, I believe Leading is the hardest one to learn and not many managers posess this skill. I also feel that trust and respect towards employees play a big part in creating responsible employees. This is definitely not done by ordering people around. You will have employees who will want to put in the extra effort and perform better for you.

By: Chris Risen

Chris Risen — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 18:49:59 +0000

Great points all around. What I take away from ‘Creating Responsible Employees’ is that it starts at the top of the company. I’m not referring to the owner, president, vice president, etc. I’m referring to the leader(s). The leader(s) can be the owner, president, etc. However, an owner, president, etc. can be just that, a person with a title. There is a clear difference between 1. a manager – one who simply manages people, problems, processes and 2. a leader – one who provides direction and develops people. I like to think of leaders as people that are capable of extracting what’s needed out of others for personal growth, accomplishment, or the achievement of a common goal. It goes without saying but can’t be expressed enough…Leadership is vital to the success of any business.