The accountability ladder - Where are you now? What does it take to move up?

I would request each one to go through the mail. I am eager to receive your comment or  feedback in return mail and first two feedback (must be at least two full lines) will win one Tim Horton Coffee!! from me.       

Where are you now? What does it take to move up?

The accountability ladder is a great tool to help us understand why we may not be getting the results we want out of life or our business, and even accomplishing our goals. Let's take a look and break down the different levels to the model. As you read through them, ask yourself where you currently are on the ladder. You may find you are at different levels of the ladder in different aspect of your life. Some of my examples are extremely random. But they get the point across.

Victims and Powerless levels:
1. Unaware/Unconscious - These are the people who are not even aware of the problem or there may even be a problem. For example, lets just say you have poor hygiene, but you have no clue about it. In fact, you think you smell like a flower. Other people can smell your stench or notice it, but you have no clue. this would be the unaware or unconscious level.

2. Blame/Complain - It is always easy to point the finger at others in why goals or responsibilities are not getting done. Overcoming this step requires us to point the finger at ourselves and admit we may in fact be the problem, not other people or factors. An example of this would be someone who is constantly late to work in the morning because their spouse is spending too much time in the bathroom. When the real solution would simply be to wake up earlier.

3. Making excuses - I am good at this one. Making excuses as to why things are not getting done is very easy and a masked form of procrastination. We make excuses like "I am to busy" or "I have never done that before". My favorite is "I don't know what I am doing". Stop making excuses and get it done!

4. Wait and hope - Waiters and hopers are those who do just that. Wait and hope for miracles and successes to happen in their lives without ever lifting a finger and having to actually go out and get it done. An example of this would be someone who really desires to be in good physical shape, but never eats healthy or exercises and hopes one day their body will be transformed. It is just not going to happen without the effort.

Responsible and Powerful levels:
5. Acknowledging reality: People who are at this level look at the situation in black and white realizing there are tasks which need to get done and they are responsible to do their part. An example of this would be a salesman who simply realizes he or she hast to market, prospect, and acquire new clients if sales are going to increase. It is just the reality of the situation.

6. I own it: Now you have acknowledged the reality of the situation, we then get to decide if we are going to fall back down the ladder and make excuses like blame and complain, or if we are going to take ownership of the problem and move forward in creating solutions.

7. Seeking solutions: Owning the situation is key, and now you own it, the next step is to brainstorm and start thinking of solutions which allow you to hit your goal and get it done! Take the time necessary to think of the best possible solutions and come up with more than one. There is more than one way to eat a potato.

8. Make it happen: Now that you own it, and you have come up with solutions, it is time to implement and take action. Getting to this step is the best part. You get to put your solutions into action and literally accomplish your goals! Making it happen is the fruit of your labors and the old adage of "the harder I work, the luckier I get" becomes a reality.

How to get people motivated?

There are some simple things we can do to ensure that our people are fully involved in, dedicated to, and enthusiastic about their work. Take these 7 steps and employees will be as engaged in business and its success as we are.

1. Create a Partnership

The best way to encourage our people to consistently give their very best on the job is to create a partnership. Treat each employee as a valuable member of our team, and give them the autonomy to make decisions and do their work as they see fit, so long as they meet their performance standards.

2. Involve Employees

Involve employees more deeply in organization by inviting them to join cross-functional teams that draw on the expertise and talent of people from different parts of the organization. Let each team have the authority they need to make decisions on their own -- especially when the decisions directly affect them.

3. Let Team in on the Plan

Be as transparent with people as we can be, in terms of providing information on how the company makes and loses money, letting them in on any strategies we may have and explaining to them their role in the big picture. When employees understand the overall plan, they will view themselves as an important, vital piece of the puzzle.

4. Provide Feedback on Performance

Regularly set aside time to tell people what they are doing right and point out any areas for improvement. If performance is not up to par, work with them to develop ideas on how to improve. It’s important that employees feel they are supported by us and the organization, rather than being left behind because of an occasional mistake or bad call.

5. Keep Promises

Never make a promise we can’t keep, and when we do make a promise -- no matter how small it might be -- be sure to follow through with it. Even if we think employees don’t care about it, we can be sure that they are keeping score. If  we aren’t certain that we will be able to follow through on a promise, then we don’t make it.

6. Create a Productive Work Environment

A workplace that is trusting, open and fun will be the most productive and successful. Be open to new ideas and suggestions that come from employees, and show them that their voices are being heard. Regularly set time aside for team-building exercises and meetings, and make them fun so employees actually look forward to participating rather than looking for reasons to ditch them.

7. Thank Them

A sincere thank-you for a job well done can be a powerful motivator for continued success and is an essential tool for every manager. Thank your employees personally and promptly when we catch them doing something right by writing a quick thank-you email or text message, or by dropping by their office to tell them in person.

Organization Cultural - Interesting to Know

Organization Cultural - Interesting to Know

What is "culture"?

Culture consists of the long-standing, largely implicit shared values, beliefs, and assumptions that influence behavior, attitudes, and meaning in a organization (or society). Culture influences how people behave and how people understand their own actions. As a result, culturally influenced beliefs and actions feel right to people, even while their implicit underpinnings make it difficult for those people to understand why they act the way they do or why other ways of acting might also be appropriate.

Culture is resilient. Its elements are long-standing, not a matter of fads. The resilience of culture is supported by culture being implicit. It is difficult for people to recognize their own culture and how it exerts an influence on them.

The staying power of culture is that it feels right to people; new cultural values that are imposed on people seldom replace their underlying values and beliefs in the long run.

Four keys to building a strong culture- The overall process should work within a framework of four key areas. These areas have been successfully managed in organizations of all size, type, industry, and geography.

 1.    Build an awareness of culture and commit to refine your strategies and plans based on an understanding of organizational culture. Organizations often start by clarifying some of the key challenges they have as an organization. Think about frustrations about “the way things work around here” that are holding your organization back from reaching its potential. It also helps to define strengths you need leverage in support of your vision or strategy as you understand how to further improve your culture.

2.    Measure your culture and engage the organization in understanding the results at a deeper level. Some organizations think they may be covering this but they are actually only evaluating a fraction of the overall culture. Engage your organization in the process to move from the fog of opinions and lack of clarity about your culture to a clearly defined picture of what you are all about. You’ll understand the overall culture and how it varies by department, division, level, geography or other key sub-groups. It’s like taking an MRI of your culture. This clear definition of “who we are” is critical for the next step where strengths are leveraged and weak areas improved that have been holding the organization back.

 3.    Engage the organization in feedback and prioritization to define a few key improvements. Utilize feedback and prioritization techniques to understand your culture assessment results and to identify the top improvements to leverage strengths and improve weak areas that are holding you back. Many organizations obtain feedback but then employees are left wondering what will happen next. The key is prioritization as a team and not just more feedback. It sometimes helps to focus on 1-3 current organizational strategies or plans and to engage in feedback and prioritization around how to manage them more effectively after you clarify the strengths and weaknesses of your culture.

 4.    Measure progress consistently and refine improvements with discipline and determination. How will you need to adjust meeting schedules, communication plans, measurements, tracking formats, team structures or other areas to improve how you manage the 1-3 priorities you identified? It will be important to monitor key measures related to the top priorities since culture clearly impacts performance however you define “performance” in the organization.

There will need to be regularly scheduled feedback and prioritization routines to identify and build on what’s working and to adjust actions that aren't having the desired impact. The organization will see what’s working and what’s not and will spread the good ideas of your new operating model to areas outside of the 1-3 priorities you originally identified. You’ll know at that point you have the flywheel of culture change moving and gaining momentum.

How to Create a Positive Work Culture

A positive workplace culture leads to increased productivity, better employee morale and the ability to keep skilled workers. Negative attitudes in the workplace, particularly when they are displayed by management or the small business owner, can have a dramatic impact on the entire workforce. Taking the steps to ensure that a positive culture is present in the workplace will go a long way towards keeping your organization running smoothly and keeping your employees happy.

Step 1

Create a clear vision statement for your company. Employees like to know that the job they are doing is making a difference. By creating a vision statement about where you want your company to be in the future and how you want it to make the world a better place creates an air of striving for betterment in the workplace. This lays the foundation for a positive work culture.

Step 2

Look for positive attitudes while hiring. Negative people can quickly sour an entire workplace. When hiring employees, look for a friendly smile and an upbeat disposition. Ask questions of new hires to determine how they handle conflict and interactions with others. If you already have negative employees on staff, take them aside to discuss their attitudes and make it clear that you are creating a positive work culture and negativity will not be tolerated.

Step 3

Make an open-door policy. When the boss is inaccessible and distant to employees, they may not feel as though their opinions matter. Establish an open-door policy and encourage interaction with employees. Ask their opinions, listen to what they have to say and remember to be positive in your dealings with them.

Step 4

Engage your employees in daily operations of the company. Employees may not realize the good that the company is doing behind closed doors. Keeping them informed about exciting new changes or new horizons will help them stay engaged in the company and feel more positive about the future. Be honest and open with your employees.

Step 5

Let your employees know they are appreciated. Employees who are not recognized for the work they do can feel as though their work is unappreciated. Establish reward systems for excellent performance and never forget to thank an employee for a job well done.