26 Sep
[email protected] Leadership

Being Truly Accountable

A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.—John Maxwell

We all make mistakes; sadly, all too often that includes justifying why we did (or said) what we did. And to make us feel better, we self rationalize why we did it, and add “why” and “however” to what we’re saying in hopes of lessening our error.  Wrong!

Why is being accountable so difficult? Maybe because we don’t want to look bad? Because we fear others may lose their appreciation for us? That we’re unable to be vulnerable since relationships and maybe even job security could be impacted?

The reality is pretty much the opposite. We need to realize that the lack of accountability does not serve us well. We lose the trust of others, we sever relationships, we get avoided, we get labeled, and team morale is diminished when lack of accountability is not addressed.

Don’t make excuses, don’t ignore that an error has occurred (or that you dropped the ball), and don’t point fingers. If you erred – own it and learn from it. This builds levels of trust, helps with integrity, and earns respect.

Author John G. Miller shares what truly accountable people freely disclose:

  • I did it.
  • I was wrong.
  • It’s my fault.
  • I shouldn’t have said that.
  • I shouldn’t have done that.
  • I’m sorry.
  • I will change today.

Do you consider yourself truly accountable? Do you struggle using the phrases listed above?

Owning up to our mistakes takes courage, it isn’t easy, and our pride may suffer, but in the long run it will help us become stronger, more effective, and appreciated.

I just think we need more accountability and more transparency.
—John Thune

19 Sep
[email protected] Leadership, Success

Is The Corporate Purpose Changing?

CEOs work to generate profits and return value to shareholders, but the best-run companies do more. They put the customer first and invest in their employees and communities.–Tricia Griffith, President and CEO of Progressive Corporation.

It’s a given that part of a company’s purpose includes making money, but it’s no longer only about the shareholder.

Last month (Aug 2019) The Business Roundtable released a new Purpose of a Corporation statement signed by 181 U.S. CEOs saying that:  They are committed to lead their companies for the benefit of all stakeholders – customers, employees, suppliers, communities and shareholders.

Summary of the new stakeholder commitments:
– Delivering value to customers, leading the way in meeting or exceeding customer expectations.

– Investing in employees starting with fair compensation and providing important benefits. It also includes training and education to help develop new skills for the changes being faced, and fostering diversity, inclusion, dignity and respect.

– Dealing fairly and ethically with suppliers. We are dedicated to serving as good partners to the other companies, large and small, that help us meet our missions.

– Supporting the communities in which we work. We respect the people in our communities and protect the environment by embracing sustainable practices across our businesses.

– Generating long-term value for shareholders, who provide the capital that allows companies to invest, grow and innovate. We are committed to transparency and effective engagement with shareholders.

Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Chairman of Business Roundtable summarized the change this way: Major employers are investing in their workers and communities because they know it is the only way to be successful over the long term.

This is a radical change from 1978 when the purpose was primarily to serve shareholders. As a leader are you aligned with this new purpose?  Is there anything you want (or need) to change?

Clearly the corporate purpose is changing!

By taking a broader, more complete view of corporate purpose, boards can focus on creating long-term value, better serving everyone – investors, employees, communities, suppliers and customers.
–Bill McNabb, former CEO of Vanguard

12 Sep
[email protected] Interpersonal Skills, Leadership

Building Business Relationships

Loosening your grip on your point of view and exploring the whys, whats, and hows of what others think requires discipline – and it’s a habit of the best relationship builders.
— Jim Haudan

It’s been reported that 85% of job success is due to well-developed soft and people skills, with technical skills and knowledge only accounting for 15% of work success (per research conducted by Harvard University, the Carnegie Foundation and Stanford Research Center).
And, the most critical component is to have strong and lasting relationships.

For some, building relationships comes natural (and easily), for others it requires effort and causes awkwardness.  Yes, our innate skills and abilities influence this, but with focus, intent, and purpose, everyone has the ability to create lasting relationships.

Being viewed as authentic and “real” is a good way to get started, and so is being respectful. For business relationships, assess shared goals and how they can be mutually supported. Listen to what others have to say, collaborate, and be open to new perspectives.

Once relationships are created, side benefits include improved communication, teamwork, no finger pointing, and increased productivity. Conflict is healthy, colleagues are willing to speak up (versus shutting down), levels of accountability grow, and problems are jointly resolved. Work becomes more enjoyable, and going to work might even be viewed as fun!

Do others view you as approachable? Do they make an effort to sit by you in meetings? What about asking for your opinion or perspective on something? Maybe even ask you to lunch? And conversely, who do you view as approachable? Who do you choose to sit next to? Whose opinion do you value? Why?

Make it a habit to be aware of how others are behaving. Do they seem distracted? Could they be having a bad day? Show genuine interest, applaud successes and support failures (or issues), and the relationship will evolve naturally.

Do you have sustained business relationships? Is there any soft skill you’d like to develop?

People who are great at inventing things, and have high creativity, often don’t have strong interpersonal skills or interests.—Martin Zwilling

05 Sep
Sarah Williams Leadership

Get The Competitive Advantage

Take care of your employees and they’ll take care of your business. It’s as simple as that. Healthy, engaged employees are your top competitive advantage.”
– Richard Branson

Billionaire Richard Branson doesn’t believe clients come first. He believes that employees come first, and the natural byproduct is that employees will take better care of the customers. It may seem counter intuitive to some business practices, but you can’t argue with his success.

A great mark of leadership is caring about your employees. An employee who knows their manager truly knows them and fights for them will look out for the interest of the organization. It’s a win-win.

Relationships take work. As you put effort into building relationships, you will often see better results from your team.

5 Ways to Grow Workplace Relationships:

  1. Spent time individually with team members. Taking a few minutes out of your busy day to talk to employees is always a great investment.
  2. Ask quality questions and listen closely as they answer. Everyone wants to be known and heard.
  3. Seek feedback. Oftentimes, employees can see things you can’t. Trust their opinions and watch your business grow!
  4. Fight for them. Look at your processes from the perspective of your team members. What small (or big!) changes can you make to improve the overall morale?
  5. Develop your communication skills. Every leader has blind spots and can be perceived differently than they intend to. Investing in yourself in this way will pay huge dividends, both immediately and for years to come.

When you take the time to build relationships, everyone benefits. People want to know you care about them personally. When this happens, the workplace is a better place to be. Clients are happier. Business grows. Richard Branson is surely proof of this!

Take good care of your employees, and they’ll take good care of your customers, and the customers will come back. – J.W. Marriott