{"id":54668,"date":"2026-08-22T17:41:21","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T15:41:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turner.nl\/uncategorized\/the-importance-of-the-psychological-check-in\/"},"modified":"2026-09-21T16:37:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T14:37:11","slug":"the-importance-of-the-psychological-check-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turner.nl\/en\/strategy-execution\/the-importance-of-the-psychological-check-in\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of the Psychological Check-In"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Strategy = Execution<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Getting Started with the Essentials of Strategy Execution.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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No initiative will succeed if the project or program leader and the other key players do not feel a sense of ownership. To that end, they must \u201cpsychologically check in\u201d with the initiative. Unfortunately, the Psychological Check-In is sometimes overlooked. <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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For success in Strategy Execution, true ownership is absolutely essential.<\/strong><\/h1>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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True ownership of the execution and the objectives to be achieved through it is the most important aspect of Strategy Execution. That determines whether we\u2019re dealing with a brilliant genius surrounded by a thousand helpers, a situation that will lead nowhere, or a leader who knows that only genuine Ownership among all stakeholders will lead to success. A good check-in always rubs people the wrong way a little, because a professional who checks in also immediately has all kinds of opinions. I\u2019ve learned to be very happy about that, but I\u2019m honest enough to say that it also often \u201cirks\u201d me. <\/p>

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The tractor<\/strong><\/p>

It\u2019s one of those tough balancing acts for leaders. You need to provide a clear framework and assignment. At the same time, you know that it will only succeed if a potential project or program manager\u2014the \u201cdriver\u201d\u2014is intrinsically motivated. That depends entirely on whether or not they see the space and freedom to carry out the assignment. A leader who personally engages in a Psychological Check-In for a task will tackle it as if it were their own venture. That\u2019s what you want. And that requires more effort than calling a potential leader from your car the day before a kick-off meeting and saying, \u201cWe\u2019d like to ask you to lead an important project. It\u2019s a bit short notice, but it\u2019s important that you take it on. Can you be at the kick-off on Thursday, and would you be willing to do some preparation?\u201d That won\u2019t work. A professional said: \u201cIf you\u2019re spending more time choosing your new Aston Martin, Mr. CEO, than on the role you\u2019re asking me to fill, I\u2019m definitely not going to do it.\u201d <\/p>

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Stepchild<\/strong><\/p>

The psychological check-in is often the neglected aspect of any project. That is a major reason why many initiatives in Strategy Execution fail. McKinsey once found that when professionals truly feel a sense of Ownership and can take the initiative, the probability of success is 79%. This stands in stark contrast to the typical failure rate of at least 60%. Behavioral psychology also shows that when we choose to do something ourselves, we\u2019re five times more committed than when we\u2019re required to do it. In short, \u201cwanting\u201d is stronger than \u201chaving to.\u201d <\/p>

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Ownership is a means<\/strong><\/p>

But how do you go about \u201cPsychological Check-In\u201d? To do so, it\u2019s important to realize that Ownership is a means to achieve the objectives. Ownership is synonymous with responsibility, involvement, commitment, or engagement\u2014whichever term you prefer. It\u2019s important to distinguish between these concepts. Some schools of change management argue that people\u2019s engagement with the organization is the goal in and of itself, and that results will follow naturally. This view is often articulated so skillfully that it\u2019s almost impossible to disagree with it. A high level of engagement does indeed lead to significantly better results for all stakeholders. But that high level of engagement is most effectively realized when people work for organizations that take their vision, mission, and the strategic objectives derived from them seriously. In this chicken-and-egg debate, therefore, purpose comes before engagement. <\/p>

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For a psychological check-in, it is therefore of the utmost importance to clearly explain the initiative\u2019s purpose and link it to the strategy. Once the strategy is clearly laid out on paper, the story behind the initiative will flow naturally from your pen. Write that story down or create a script so you can convey it in the form of a mission statement on a single A4 page or through a video message of no more than one minute. If there\u2019s no compelling story to tell about the initiative, something isn\u2019t right. If the initiative is important in relation to the strategy, there\u2019s always a story to tell. An optimization initiative in the Tax and Customs Administration\u2019s back office should have just as compelling a story as a so-called \u201csexy\u201d post-merger integration project following a spectacular acquisition that dominates the front page of *Het Financieele Dagblad*<\/em> for months on end. <\/p>

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Sanding<\/strong><\/p>

As mentioned, this check-in will always be a bit of a challenge, because truly engaged employees will always have something to say about the initiative and the story behind it. That\u2019s a positive sign: people who don\u2019t feel a sense of Ownership won\u2019t even bother to form an opinion about the initiative and the story that goes with it. Be glad about this, because the more engagement there is, the greater the chance that the project will succeed. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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