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Human Resources Services

Capacity Building

Building capacity for employees to lead work and make decisions is another method to addressing workload issues, but this needs to be done in an intentional and methodical manner to be truly effective. Capacity building fosters a sense of ownership and is all about encouraging and promoting people by enriching them with the skills and techniques that are needed for developing.  Capacity-building should occur at all levels of the organization – senior leaders to leaders to supervisors to individual contributors. However, as discussed in the Delegation section of this guide, building capacity for employees does not mean downloading responsibilities on them. Effective strategies are discussed below. 

blocks climbing upwards to hit target

Information Box Group

Identifying Decision-Making Authority

For leaders and supervisors to effectively build capacity with those who report to them, there needs to be clear communication on what boundaries exist as it relates to the decision at hand. Employees should not be left on their own to figure out where their decision-making authority begins and ends, as this will create additional job stress, and will end up being counter-productive.  

Growth & Development Learn More About Development Conversations

Trust between managers and employees provides a critical foundation for successful capacity building. When that trust exists, employees see this as an opportunity for growth, development, and exposure, not a tactic for managers to eliminate tasks or responsibilities for themselves. Capacity building should align with the interests of the receiving employee, which should be established through regular growth and development conversations. If it doesn’t align with their career goals, an employee may perceive receiving too much autonomy negatively. This is reinforced through ongoing support, coaching, mentoring, guidance, and availability from those who are providing this support. As with many employee growth and development activities, capacity building requires an investment in time to ensure there’s an understanding between managers and employees, and that those employees are set up to succeed.  

Resources and Tips

1. Provide clear boundaries Learn More About Setting Healthy Boundaries

  • Define “in scope” vs. “out of scope” decisions
  • Provide guardrails for what success looks like, criteria to consider, when to just decide vs. seek more input vs. escalate
  • Clearly communicate who makes which decisions
  • Establish specific criteria for when decisions must be escalated for approval

2. Establish clear roles Learn More about Delegation

  • For delegated decisions, assign one person the authority to decide 
  • Make it clear to others what their roles are (e.g., a “consult” may allow them to provide their perspective, but may not have the right to veto/escalate if they disagree) 

3. Encourage levels of trust Learn More About Building Trust

  • More senior leaders should say no if asked to step in to make a decision 
  • Avoid escalation in the guise of advice-seeking; instead give options, ask questions, discuss how to make a good decision, highlight important facts or considerations in an unbiased way 
  • If a decision has been delegated to a team, and the team disagrees, allow the assigned decision maker(s) to determine if and how to escalate 
  • Only escalate if you are truly stuck (not simply concerned that not everyone with input is in unanimous agreement)

4. Address culture and skills

  • Build capabilities (e.g. how to say no and have difficult conversations) 
  • Understand and address root causes, (e.g. avoiding or spreading accountability) 
  • Let go of old mistakes and be open to new ones to support a culture of learning
  • Build psychological safety to ensure your team is not afraid to disagree
  • Help your team make evidence-based decisions

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Resources for Capacity Building Learn More

Read, watch, and learn more about capacity building by reviewing these curated resources.