How Responsibility Misalignment Affects Motivation
Responsibility misalignment occurs when the responsibilities assigned to a person do not fit their capabilities, level of development, motivation, or preferred way of contributing.
A person can be overwhelmed by responsibilities that exceed their current capacity. Another can become disengaged because their responsibilities are far below their capabilities.
Too little responsibility
Consider an employee with strong leadership potential who is given almost no opportunity to make decisions. Their issue may not be lack of motivation; the role may provide insufficient responsibility.
Too much responsibility
Conversely, giving a newly developing employee major responsibilities without adequate support can produce anxiety, uncertainty, and poor performance.
The right balance
Responsibility alignment involves finding an appropriate relationship between: capacity → responsibility → support → opportunity → growth. Good responsibility design can give people enough challenge to grow without placing them in situations where failure becomes almost inevitable.
How to improve alignment
Managers can improve alignment by gradually increasing responsibility, observing how employees respond to different assignments, and connecting responsibilities with demonstrated strengths. Employees can also communicate the types of responsibilities in which they believe they can contribute more effectively.
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