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Accountability – simple but not easy

01-Jul-2010

 
Here are some key success habits you can incorporate in your business to help drive accountability for strategic execution.

Establish the top 3 Company 90 Day Action Priorities.

If you can’t clearly explain the top 3 things the company is working on every quarter – then you are not leading well.  Focus on less to achieve more.  (Of course this assumes you already have a winning strategy in place and know the top 3 moves you need to make next).

Assign each team member their Individual 90 Day Action Priorities.

The combined effect of these must add up to ensure the company achieves its top 3 Company 90 Day Action Priorities.  These individual “projects” need to be clear, concise, measurable and achievable.  Set your people up to “win” every quarter – not discourage them with failure.  As a leader, you only win when everyone on your team wins.  

Single point accountability.

Only 1 person can be accountable for each item. They own it.  Give them the freedom and responsibility to determine how it should best be accomplished, and provide them the necessary tools and resources to do so.

Create space for strategic execution.

“Business as usual” – the tasks that keep the business operating on a daily basis still need to happen.  Balance this by creating sufficient time and space for your people to execute the strategic actions that are going to move the business forward.

Clear the path.

Keep your team focused on their strategic action priorities – and help remove any blockages that are holding up progress.  Take great care not distract them or overload them with conflicting demands.  

Knife and fork it.

Just as you eat an elephant one bite at a time, strategic execution is accomplished one week at a time.  What is the #1 thing each person is going to do this week (not business as usual) that is going to move their strategic action priorities forward?  Everyone must know and agree their #1 Action Priority every week.  

A culture of keeping promises.

If you hold people strictly accountable for completing their #1 Action Priority every week – they start to be very careful about what they promise to do.  This is exactly what you want.  Your job as a leader becomes much easier when your people get very clear on what they will do each week – and you can count on them to actually do it.  (This sounds simple – but it takes real discipline to instill such a culture)  

Monthly progress report.

Every month, get a full situation report on the % complete of every Individual 90 Day Action Priority from the person accountable.  Color coding progress makes it obvious:  Is it “green” (on schedule), “yellow” (they need help to get back on track), or “red” (sound the alarm!)?  There should be no surprises at the end of the quarter.  

Accountability is meaningless without consequences.

Those who achieve their objectives each quarter should be publicly acknowledged and rewarded. Conversely, as Peter Drucker said, “Leaders owe it to the organization and their fellow workers, not to tolerate non-performing people in important jobs.” At the very least, those who do not achieve the desired outcomes need to discuss and agree with their manager what changes both parties need to make in order for successful execution to occur the following quarter.  Remember - the leader wins when the team wins. 
 
 
Stephen Lynch

Chief Operating Officer - Global Operations
RESULTS.com
 

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