How do you support team members who are hesitant to take ownership of their tasks?

Sitting down in a quiet place to have a one-on-one to discuss what the employee is facing - their fears and concerns. Practice active listening and taking notes. Once the employee has spoken have a discussion about what options he/she has for this project. Ask the employee what similar projects he/she has completed and also determine what skills the person currently has and what he/she may need in order to take ownership and complete the project, projects or tasks. Remind them journeys start by taking one step at a time.

Trust is formed by being reliable, honest, and supportive. When team members know they can rely on you and feel valued, they're more likely to take responsibility and contribute their best efforts.

Absolutly BUILD TRUST fisrt. But before we move to PROVIDING CLARITY (goals, roles, communication, etc, which is fundamental setp to address the solution, before we take decisions, actions, etc..), as Servant Leaders we must facilitate a clear and collaborative undertanding of THE PROBLEM (why team members are hesitant to take ownership of their tasks?). Very often asking "WHY?" can be shocking or confontational. Perhaps by rephrasing the question, as; "Is there any undertlying reason? or impediment causing this?" (But first building trust) There might be different answers and reasons for each individual or perhaps the same for the whole team.) Then yes we can move to clarity, decisions, actions, support, etc.

Open a dialogue start by having a one-on-one conversation to understand why the team member is hesitant. It could be due to a lack of confidence, fear of failure, unclear expectations, or even external factors like workload or personal issues.

Clear expectations and goals help team members take ownership. Each person should know exactly what they need to do. Explain how their work fits into the team's big picture. This understanding helps them see the value of their efforts. When everyone knows their role, they feel more confident and committed.

Margot Phaneuf (2013), infirmière reconnue comme ayant grandement ?uvré pour les sciences infirmières, propose une liste de bonnes pratiques du travail en équipe, qui met notamment l'accent sur la clarté des r?les. Pour ce faire, elle suggère de : - donner des objectifs et des orientations clairs, avec un niveau d’exigence défini ; - clarifier les r?les et responsabilités de chacun au sein de l’équipe ; - entretenir des communications chaleureuses et fonctionnelles ; - maintenir la coopération et le soutien mutuel ; - permettre la créativité, l’expression des opinions et des suggestions de tous.

Empower and inspire trust - Encourage decision-making: Allow them to make decisions, even small ones. Reinforce the idea that their feedback is valuable and that you trust their judgment.

Encourage team members to make decisions about their tasks. Give them the information and resources they need. This helps them feel confident and capable. When team members are empowered, they work more independently and effectively.

Offering support means being there to help without controlling everything. Let team members know they can ask questions anytime. Be ready to give them the help or resources they need. This shows you trust them to do their work. With your support, they can solve problems and grow on their own.

Encourage growth by offering chances to learn new skills. Provide training and workshops for team members. This helps them improve and feel more confident. Learning new things keeps work exciting and fun. By growing their skills, they can do better work and achieve more.

It is always usful to have RETROSPECTIVE MEETINGS (end of sprint or regularly) to be able to reflect and validate THE OUTCOME (i.e. have we fixed it? / are we woking better now?) If not we need to start again. If yes we should CELEBRATE !!!