Space, support and permission to fail

How to create a culture of responsibility

Rob Clarke

CEO of Learning Architects

Regardless of whether you find the current climate motivating or exhausting, a challenge we all face at the moment is the importance of putting our precious time and energy into the things that are going to make the biggest difference - executing on the right tasks, at the right time, to help you achieve your goals.

In a business environment where things can literally change by the day, how do you keep your people focused and your business activity moving in the right direction? It’s reasonably easy to put together a plan, but it’s much harder to execute that plan with razor sharp focus, especially when the ground keeps moving. So, how can you transform good ideas into meaningful actions? The answer typically has three facets. The first is in knowing what needs to be done; to identify priorities you might need to revisit your business plan, have a discussion with your team or talk to other stakeholders to determine your best course of action, match the various tasks to the best person or people for the job, and then supporting them to get on with it and make it happen.

Taking responsibility or being accountable - which comes first?

Sometimes responsibility and accountability are viewed as the same thing. They are however slightly different in that taking responsibility is the willingness of an individual to complete what they’re being asked to do in the course of their work. Being accountable is retrospective and relates to what has been done; it is the willingness of someone to reflect and accept responsibility for the outcomes or results of a project.

Why a shared sense of ownership matters

When we are trying to motivate people to carry out their work more effectively, they need to be able to have some influence, ownership and support for change where necessary; particularly when situations and objectives can change week by week.

Accountability need not be a scary word

People often think of the word accountability in a negative sense, but it can be a positive depending on how it is applied and lived. By changing the narrative and considering it as a positive thing, then you may find that your team identifies creative ways to increase their accountability.

Create a shared sense of ownership

Both responsibility and accountability are required for individuals and teams to function 10 | www.canterburytoday.co.nz effectively and get the desired results. When people are unable to take responsibility and lack accountability, it can significantly jeopardise results. But if this is lacking in some parts of your organisation, where do you start?

Responsibility is the cornerstone

Whether you are a large organisation with multiple teams, or a one-person operation collaborating with others, how do you help those you work with to take charge (within their remit) in a way that gets results and moves your business forward? Here are some starting points for creating a culture of responsibility:

1.Make sure everyone knows what is

expected of them - this provides surety in their role so they can confidently apply their skills and experience to the job at hand.

You can do this through coaching, ongoing discussions and regular check-ins.

2.Define what is important together -

discussing objectives and setting goals together can create a shared sense of ownership and the space for people to assume responsibility for achieving them.

Regularly revisiting how these goals are tracking will help people recognise and appreciate progress.

3.Work to the strengths of your team -

ensuring you have the right people doing the right jobs is always a bonus. When you know what each of your team is best at, you can then position them to work to their strengths. When people can do their best work, they are more engaged and more productive and this leads to better results. 4.Give permission - finally, giving your team agency and permission for their job is critical. If you tell them that you trust them to get the job done, and you demonstrate this, then they are more likely to take ownership and responsibility. This will empower them to take charge, and be response-able!

Accountability and responsibility is a two-way street

Stephen Covey said, “You can’t hold someone accountable for results if you Sometimes responsibility and accountability are viewed as the same thing. They are however slightly different in that taking responsibility is the willingness of an individual to complete what they’re being asked to do in the course of their work. ”

supervise their methods”. The ideal is that you set parameters, and then allow people to take responsibility for their methods and their results. As a leader, it is your responsibility to create a supportive culture that allows people to feel safe and/or confident to step up. This could mean acknowledging where people have made a difference, rewarding successes, and using failures as opportunities for improvement by providing training where people might fall short. For example: • Keeping people in the loop, providing constructive feedback and updates on changing plans • Give people space and opportunity to reflect on their results and then discuss what worked well and what they could potentially do differently next time • Acting on what needs to change to make course corrections • Sharing results and celebrating successes. A useful starting point to increase accountability is to discuss it with your team. Ask them what they would like to be accountable for, while sharing your expectations at the same time. Then work with them to figure out some practical ways you can support them. Linking these discussions to your organisational goals will help people to see how their contributions make an impact. By including every team member in the process of taking responsibility and being accountable, you will start to build and strengthen your organisation’s ability to make an impact, regardless of the changing circumstances so that you can all remain focused on, and take ownership of, what makes a difference. CT