Accountability -> Leader

Accountability can be built on small, consistent actions. Then grow confidence and grow one’s accountability to results.

When we feel good, we do good. The same goes for accountability: when we are taking accountability on the small stuff, space is created to take accountability on the bigger newer results stuff.

When I think of people taking on a new roles in your business, they need to take accountability for their actions, even the small ones. Consistently. Then they can take accountability for results. When they get used to taking accountability and seeing themselves as a leader, a mover and shaker, not just seeing themselves as ‘completor of tasks’, they take on more accountability.

Consistency is key before results can be achieved

Consistency is key before results can be achieved. If your team is not being consistent in their core responsibilities, they may not know how everyday actions lead to the big results.

‘Babysitting’ is not appealing. It’s not about babysitting. Weekly check-in’s are part of being a manager. It may be time to shift the conversation for the next 3 months.

Results are made through consistent actions. Thinking of month-over-month responsibilities, Iike say for a marketing manager, there are certain tasks they need to stay consistent at in order to be in the space to come up with insights and for them to be comfortable to give recommendations and follow through with making them happen.

Keep it small and simple. Like, if it’s a marketing manager - post 3 times / week for the next 3 months. At the end of the month, identify the top 3 most liked posts. These actions are not guaranteed to produce results but they get people in the rhythm of the actions that go hand and in hand with gaining insights and producing results.

Including these types of everyday actions on an individual’s weekly check-in report/dashboard can be hugely valuable for people who are struggling to stay consistent. Consistency is key before results can be achieved. Gaining consistency and celebrating consistency can create room for the confidence to make recommendations and to own their own results.

Value of Actions -> Results

When we lose weight or get fit, it’s because we worked out X number of times, we ate a certain way for Y days, we had good sleep for Z number of weeks. Same goes for business results.

We know actions -> business results.

It’s more than the actions themselves. It’s working the space where learnings happen, where insights happen and where growth happens.

It’s easy to discount the everyday, consistent actions that need to be done to get to the results because is this post really going to lead to the 100 new customers rushing your doors?? Probably not but by carrying out this action to completion, on schedule, week over week - it gives you data, it creates the opportunity for growth and ultimately leads to insights which leads to new results in new ways.

People lose sight of that so it might be the time to remind, reinforce and have conversation on it so people re-commit to the everyday consistent work to get to the growth and results that they want and the business needs.

Focus for a great quarter

Do you ever hit your point where a lot is on the go yet little progress? Or that you feel yourself losing track of what everyone is working on? Even with 1:1’s, software for tracking projects and team meetings, it can still feel like there isn’t a clear picture of what is on the go or why there isn’t more progress happening.

It can be time to take stock. Like a braindrop/braindump, a KANBAN can be used to show everything that is on the go (and on your mind). Some softwares even offer the capability of a KANBAN for managing work week over week which is great. A KANBAN can also be a time in point activity to see everything AND to group items based on whether they have been started/ in-progress, planned or complete. By doing a point-in-time take stock with a KANBAN, you can really see how much is currently in that in-progress group. If it’s too much then people may be making the wrong choices when working by sticking to work they are comfortable with or that they enjoy most and put off work that is challenging, uncertain or less enjoyable.

Taking stock to simplify can provide the platform to clarify what’s most important and even move out work that is distracting the team. Check out this month’s newsletter and webpage on this for how to use this to have a great quarter and end of year!

Outside perspectives for change

Outside perspective sees things we do not see.

Just like a sports coach that can see what is playing out on the field, court, track or gym, an outside perspective in business also sees things we do not. I’ve seen business owners benefit from a few people’s outside perspective:

• People/ operations manager is in the business yet since it’s not their business, they see things the owner doesn’t.

• Mentors and peers have business experience however it’s different business experience so they can focus in on points to consider based on their experience.

• Consultants and coaches have experience across businesses and in looking at problems so they can bring a breadth of experience to the table and skills for assessing problems.

• Exercises/tools/frameworks/etc can be great for a specific situation that needs to be kick started in small yet meaningful everyday way.

The entrepreneurial community is a supportive, solution-minded community. Being agile is in the DNA of entrepreneurs. I love sharing tools, the newsletter and working with entrepreneurs! We’re all agile, ambitious and mission-driven which is energizing to work alongside day-to-day. Have some fun this week, month and quarter with staying true to your vision and agile in actions!