Accountability - The New Measure Of Achievement
Posted on March 4, 2008 - Filed Under Business |
My Braintrust, a group of five business founders and CEOs, recently articulated business goals to each other, described obstacles and steps, and set deadlines for ourselves. We did this because we want to be held accountable.
This made me think about what it means to be accountable.
Dictionaries define accountable in mostly negative or punitive terms: you’re liable, you’ll be blamed, you are responsible.
The Braintrust sees accountability in a positive light: it lets us celebrate success, ask for and receive help when we’re stuck, and clarify next steps and how long it will take to do them. Accountability is about action now and recognition of our actions, large and small.
Why celebrate success?
Modesty is about tamping down the inclination to brag, to preen, to show off. These may good things to keep in check in business and social circles, but they are not good when they rob you of self-recognition and destroy your self-image. When you have achieved something you’ve worked for, celebrate it. How else will you and others know that you’ve made progress, that you’ve moved from one place to the next and that you used your time and talents in a productive way?
Get Un-Stuck
Once you’ve articulated your goal, you need to identify the rewards, the consequences and the obstacles you may face in reaching your goal. These are not always clear to you because you’re too close and your resources are limited to what you personally know. Others know other things, and can bring their knowledge to bear to speed progress to your goal.
When you see accountability to others as a positive thing, you have the right to get their help. Feel free to say “I don’t know what to do. What do you think?” Listen, ask more questions, and don’t quit until you have enough help so you can achieve your goal.
Clarify your Next Steps
Once you’ve received help from your Braintrust, you should take the time to write a list or plan for yourself that clearly describes next steps. To meet my own goal of selling more products online, I set myself the task “Research internet marketing.”
My Braintrust told me that was too broad. They helped me make a list of resources: my shopping cart service, my internet service provider, my website hosting company could all be specific sources of instruction on how to improve my internet marketing capabilities. Once I check out these resources I can report back to my group and tell them my accomplishments. Without accountability, I wouldn’t have gotten their input and I wouldn’t have created an opportunity to celebrate.
Establish Your Own Accountability
The next time you’re thinking about your agenda, your to-do list, or your goals and plans, make yourself accountable to a group or an individual. Ask for help getting unstuck and clarifying your next steps and tell your group that you’ll be celebrating together when you’ve made progress. Accountability will be your own special secret to success.
Executives and entrepreneurs who bring Susan G. Trivers, MBA to their companies learn how to create Braintrusts and use them to lead to positive accountability. It begins with communication skillfulness and Susan is a consummate expert when it comes to communication and leadership.
Start with Susan’s two fundamental principles: Put the Audience First and Be Yourself, Polished. Add effective leading (not supporting) materials to your key points, craft excellent stories, and add engagement activities and you’ll raise your career profile.
The Red-Hot Guide to COOL Speaking – Craft and Deliver presentations that are Creative, Original, Outsized & Liberated is Susan’s easy-to-use, apply-it-now e-book
Tags: career, entrepreneur, executive, goals, marketing, planning, recognition, sales, strategic, Success
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