01
Want
Meaning and motivation
Meaning, motivation and the desire to contribute to the Purpose.
The method
Individual: a person's conditions for performance
The individual perspective describes each person's opportunity to understand their work, feel motivated, apply their abilities, have room to act and take responsibility. When these conditions are in place, people can use their competence and make a sustainable contribution to the Purpose.
Core idea
Performance begins with people's actual conditions for performance.
Organisations often talk about performance, responsibility and engagement. The individual perspective helps the organisation understand what needs to be in place for a person to perform. It is about more than motivation. It is about clarity, competence, authority, resources and reasonable expectations.
When the conditions are inadequate, the individual is often left to carry the problem alone. When the conditions are made visible, the organisation can instead understand what needs to be strengthened in the work situation, within the team or in the Purpose.
Five conditions
Want, Know, Can, May and Should reveal where performance is enabled or hindered.
The five words provide a simple but powerful structure for understanding a person's work situation. They show whether performance is being hindered by motivation, lack of clarity, competence, authority or responsibility.
02
Know
Direction and understanding
Direction, information and an understanding of what is expected.
03
Can
Competence and support
Competence, support and the practical ability to carry out the work.
04
May
Authority and trust
Authority, room to act and the trust to take action.
05
Should
Responsibility and ownership
Responsibility, ownership and an understanding of what the work requires.
In everyday work
An individual perspective helps managers and teams understand what truly affects performance.
When a person or team is not achieving the desired effect, the individual perspective helps the organisation ask better questions. Is the motivation there? Is the Purpose clear? Is the necessary competence available? Is there sufficient authority? Is the level of responsibility reasonable and manageable?
01
Dialogue
The conversation becomes more concrete.
An individual perspective helps managers and teams discuss the conditions for the work without becoming stuck in general judgements about motivation or engagement.
02
Measurement
Results become easier to interpret.
When measurements are connected to Want, Know, Can, May and Should, it becomes clearer which conditions need to be strengthened.
03
Action
Actions are directed to the right level.
The organisation can see whether it needs clearer direction, more support, stronger competence, greater authority or a better balance of responsibility.
Connection to Verksamhetsskap
Individual shows how the Purpose is understood and experienced by each person.
Verksamhetsskap is about organising work around the Purpose, people's conditions for performance and dialogue in everyday work. At individual level, these conditions show what each person needs to understand, be able to do, be permitted to do and take responsibility for.
Considering Individual, Team and Purpose together makes it possible to see whether a challenge lies with the individual, in how the team works together or in how the Purpose is defined and organised.
Next level
Team
Explore the team as the setting for collaboration, belonging, responsibility and development.
Explore TeamRelated product
Employee Survey
The Employee Survey reveals whether people and teams have the conditions needed for sustainable performance.
Explore the Employee Survey