Whenever I have pulled a group of business owners together and asked them that obvious question – “What’s your greatest frustration in business right now?” – the answer is always the same. People! “If only my people showed some accountability, took ownership, worked as I expect them to, then my job would be so much easier!” That’s why Accountability is one of the things that really matter in business in New Zealand right now. To remind you, the other five have been; Cashflow, Leadership, Prioritisation, Customer Focus and Embracing AI. And, again, to follow protocol, I will be brief, frank, and maybe a bit controversial:
- The best (and only) definition of Accountability: a personal choice to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrate the ownership necessary for achieving desired results. It’s a personal choice. It comes from within us. If it’s not there already it’s bloody hard to create it!
- I hear this comment a lot – “why don’t my staff show some accountability?”
- Revert to the first point – if it’s not there…….
- If that’s the case you have the wrong person in the wrong role. It’s time to free up someones future
- If there is some accountability but you want more, then read on
- Ensure absolute clarity of expectation. Do your people know what to do? Are they clear on their role? Do they know what the outcome is meant to look like? Do they know what success looks like in their role? Are you absolutely sure of this? Because this is where the problems start. If our people don’t have absolute clarity of what is expected of them, they can’t be accountable. You are!
- Do your people know what the business is trying to do? Do they know what the Purpose of the business is? Do you? And it’s not to make money – it’s deeper than that (ask 5 why questions when trying to define your Purpose). If your people are not aligned to what the business is trying to do and what some of the Key Results are that will allow it to achieve that Purpose, they can’t be Accountable. You are!
- What structures do you have to ensure Accountability? Do you have understandable and measurable standards? When someone steps outside those standards, what happens? Is there any consequence? That old saying “you can only manage what you measure” is easy to forget. But it has a deeper significance as well – “If you can’t measure it you better make damn sure you are managing it!” So how are you managing and measuring accountability? If there are no consequences when your people don’t achieve those standards they can’t be held accountable. You are!
- I have been reading Gilbert Enoka’s new book (he of All Black’s culture and psychology guru – after the weekends result we need him back, badly!) and the one thing that surprised me was this. To attain peak performance we need to ensure the coming together of three things – Skills, Mindset and Structure. Which one is most important? I would have said Mindset. But I would’ve been wrong. Structure and Discipline. We provide the Structure and Discipline for people to gain the right mindset so they use their skills to achieve peak performance. You provide that Structure and Discipline. Without it you can’t hold your people accountable. You are!
- Are you lighting the pathway to accountability? Are you expressing the right behaviours? Are you clear on your role and what success for you looks like. Do you have clarity around your business’s, and your personal, Purpose? Are you putting your hand up when you make a mistake? Are you asking the question “How can I help? What can I do to help?” when problems and challenges appear? If not then your people can’t be held accountable. You are!
You get the drift here. If there is not a spark of care and accountability from certain staff then you have the wrong people. If there is you need to nurture and grow it by providing the environment for it to develop. Otherwise you will be disappointed, again. Your accountability will result in theirs. They will be more likely to make that Personal Choice to be accountability.
Keep focused, provide the Structure, be Accountable and smell the flowers.
Cheers
Phil Pickford
Keep focused, provide the Structure, be Accountable and smell the flowers.
Cheers
Phil Pickford
