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Yet, one simple "rule of business" remains constant. Your organization's ability to execute is the ultimate determinant of your success. And, when it comes to effective execution your potential roadblocks are many.
At Ford Business Consulting, our specialty is helping organizations overcome obstacles to superior execution by tuning the human system to support the business strategy.read more...
At Ford Business Consulting, our specialty is helping organizations overcome obstacles to superior execution by tuning the human system to support the business strategy.read more...
Accountability – it’s all about asking "How"
Accountability – much talked about and little practiced. If your Gorilla (that 800 pound Gorilla of corporate culture) doesn’t have a few basics habits, the discipline of accountability will remain elusive in your organization.
These habits fall into two basic messages in the Gorilla’s Guide. (If you want to understand more about the Gorilla’s Guide and how it governs your culture, download the first Gorilla e-book.)
The messages?
• Support honesty and respect more than fear.
• Value questions as much as answers.
First, honesty and respect. If your Gorilla’s Guide supports this message, you’ll see these behaviors in your team.
Team members:
• Are willing to say “I don’t know.”
• Don’t get “beat up” for bringing news you don’t want to hear.
• Admit mistakes.
• Apologize when appropriate and accept others’ apologies readily.
• Listen to what others have to say.
• Take on tough issues directly rather than going around the problem.
Second, valuing questions as much as answers. Good questions are essential to high quality decision-making, learning, and accountability for results. Here are some questions that are especially useful in supporting accountability.
• When a new goal is set, ask “Where will that increase in revenue come from?” or “How will our competitors likely react to the new marketing campaign?”
• When a project schedule is moved up, ask “How will you meet that target date?” or “What is the first milestone where we’ll know if we’re on target?”
• When production delays arise, ask “How is this different from our other plants?” or “What has changed from last month?”
As Larry Bossidy says in Execution, “The leader who executes often does not even have to tell people what to do; she asks questions so they can figure out what they need to do.”
If you can get your Gorilla firmly on board with these two messages, accountability and results will come much more readily.
By Linda Ford, PhD
These habits fall into two basic messages in the Gorilla’s Guide. (If you want to understand more about the Gorilla’s Guide and how it governs your culture, download the first Gorilla e-book.)
The messages?
• Support honesty and respect more than fear.
• Value questions as much as answers.
First, honesty and respect. If your Gorilla’s Guide supports this message, you’ll see these behaviors in your team.
Team members:
• Are willing to say “I don’t know.”
• Don’t get “beat up” for bringing news you don’t want to hear.
• Admit mistakes.
• Apologize when appropriate and accept others’ apologies readily.
• Listen to what others have to say.
• Take on tough issues directly rather than going around the problem.
Second, valuing questions as much as answers. Good questions are essential to high quality decision-making, learning, and accountability for results. Here are some questions that are especially useful in supporting accountability.
• When a new goal is set, ask “Where will that increase in revenue come from?” or “How will our competitors likely react to the new marketing campaign?”
• When a project schedule is moved up, ask “How will you meet that target date?” or “What is the first milestone where we’ll know if we’re on target?”
• When production delays arise, ask “How is this different from our other plants?” or “What has changed from last month?”
As Larry Bossidy says in Execution, “The leader who executes often does not even have to tell people what to do; she asks questions so they can figure out what they need to do.”
If you can get your Gorilla firmly on board with these two messages, accountability and results will come much more readily.
By Linda Ford, PhD
Labels: accountability, questions