EPISODE D6.003 Willingness to be Accountable

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Introduction
Welcome to Talk Leadership with Cedrick.  You know everybody needs a little TLC.  Welcome to my world ladies and gentlemen.   My name is Cedrick LaFleur and I’m so excited to be with you today.  IBGR - RESULTS Radio Network. Everything a business owner needs to start, grow or exit a business. Come grow with us.  I’m going to be here with you for the next hour talking about business principles, business practices, business ideas and concepts.  My main focus this hour for your business will be the “Willingness to be Accountable”.   What is accountability as it pertains to your business. 

A little bit about who is Cedrick LaFleur

I plan to help you better understand your business WHY, but more importantly I plan to add value to each of you everytime I’m on air.  Not some days, not most days, but everyday I’m on air.  So sit back, relax and join on this quest of business success. 

Show Objectives
Today, I want to explore the concept of Willingness to be Accountable.  
We must start with the definition of Accountability first right. 
Accountability is defined as an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions. In the workplace and in team work, being accountable is a paramount quality, linked with trust, reliability and responsibility.

The question I have for you and your business:
Is personal accountability a core and guiding value in your world? 

Let me repeat that question: Is personal accountability a core and guiding value in your world?

Let’s do a quick "needs assessment" for our workplace and ourselves. We’ll begin with the individual—meaning ... me. Here we go!


Quiz #1: The Individual
Ten introspective questions:

1. Do I spend more time whining or working?
2. Do I more often procrastinate or push forward?
3. Am I envious of others’ achievements or eager to emulate them and learn?
4. Do I live an entitled life or am I excited to earn my own way?
5. Do I tend to point fingers or problem-solve?
6. Do I encourage/praise my family, friends, and coworkers or tear them down?
7. When life doesn't go my way, do I play the victim or become a victor?
8. Which matters most, others' opinion of me or my opinion of me?
9. How often do I complain versus offer constructive ideas?
10. Am I wasting energy trying to change others instead of choosing to change myself?

How’d you do? This assessment helps give you an infusion of accountability, responsibility, and ownership?

Quiz #2: The Organization
Now, the workplace. Let’s find out if personal accountability is alive and well in your division, region, district, branch, department, or team.

Ten questions about your organization:

1. Has organizational/market/industry change caused fear, anxiety, and complaining?
2. Have I heard staff ask, “When is someone going to train me?”
3. Do supervisors lament the difficulty in finding “good people”?
4. Are people hiding behind (blaming!) the team when objectives aren't reached?
5. Has an interdepartmental us versus them created an organization of “silos”?
6. When mistakes happen, do people ask, “Who dropped the ball?”
7. Is poor communication always someone else’s fault?
8. When problems develop, do employees run and hide or attack the problem?
9. Do staff members make excuses when goals are not met?
10. Is there a drumbeat of negativity regarding the lack of new systems and products?

In your opinion, did Quiz #2 reveal a lack of personal accountability in your organization? If so, even if your team is outstanding, there's always room for growth. :-)
WHY ACCOUNTABILITY MATTERS 

» Do you want to get better? If you really want to get better, then accountability makes everyone and everything better.

» No one does better without accountability than with it.

» Everyone has at least one area that they are not disciplined in.

» When we have accountability, we move from intentions to actions

» Accountability is the bridge between what you intend to do and what you actually do. That’s why it matters. 

» The moment you become accountable to someone else, you start to do better.

» Whoever you ask to hold you accountable, make sure that person loves you unconditionally. Doesn’t matter if it’s in the workplace or at home. 

And there are different Levels of Accountability.  I want to explore that with you. 
1. Personal Accountability:
a. Meeting and exceeding your own goals

2. Team Accountability
a. You’re accountable not only to yourself, but also your team
b. Teammates need to be able to count on each other when it counts
c. It’s important to meet, even exceed the expectations of your team members


3. Leadership Accountability
a. Having the responsibility of helping your followers stay accountable to themselves and their team members
b. When you inspect from others, you get respect 
c. When you expect from others, you get results

Key Issues

1. Leaders who are not willing to be accountable. (Will)
2. Leaders who don’t know how to be accountable. (Skill)

Reference:  100X Leader
How to Become Someone Worth Following
Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram

• Leaders must take the foreground like intrepid Sherpa mountain guides.
• A “100X leader” achieves 100% of his or her goals and teaches other leaders exponentially.
• All 100X leaders embody self-awareness, moral courage, humility and accountability.

A “100X leader” (accountable leader) achieves 100% of his or her goals and teaches other leaders exponentially.
What does the term “100X” mean? The number 100 refers to leaders who achieve nearly 100% of their goals. The letter X represents a factor of multiplication; 100X leaders multiply their leadership qualities by mentoring those they lead and teaching knowledge, skill and understanding. By sharing what they know, 100X leaders become like Sherpa guides for the people they lead and mentor.

“The Sherpa doesn’t celebrate how many times they personally have been to the summit, but they celebrate how many times they help others get to the top.”

1. Now with that being said, don’t you want to become an Accountable Leader?  
2. Shouldn’t your team have an accountable leader?

This is why Accountability is important in every organization, on every team and in every family. 


Characteristics of People Who are Not Accountable
1. They make excuses
a. Excuses are exit lanes
b. Lots of people are good at making excuses 

2. They become victims
a. They choose ease over difficulty

3. They are more into appearance than substance
a. They love illusion over reality
b. They go for quick fixes rather than solutions

Characteristics of Accountable People
1. They are consistent
a. Consistency takes more than ability and talent––it takes following through on what they say they will follow through on
b. Consistency compounds 

2. They have credibility
» Leadership myth: once credibility is earned, it’s completed
» Leadership truth: credibility has to stay consistent

3. They increase their personal performance, and they increase the performance of the people around them

On a scale of 1-10,  where 10 is the best and 1, where we don’t even need to discuss it – Take this “health check” to see where you stand as a leader:

1. You are confident about your leadership abilities.  
2. You lead a healthy and rewarding life that keeps you “present and productive.”
3. You have a healthy emotional IQ, so you can lead people even in complex circumstances.
4. You do your best to make rational – not emotional – decisions.
5. You understand and accept your leadership responsibilities. You know where you’re going, and you’re determined to lead others at the highest level.
6. As a leader, you feel “physically, mentally and emotionally” fit.

 

• After rating yourself against these standards, total your overall score and divide by six. 
• If it’s seven or better, great! You’re a healthy leader.  You’re an accountable leader. 
• If it’s five or less, you have work to do. To become a better leader, work on mastering yourself first.

Shows
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Next: Episode D6.004 Look for Opportunities to Innovate

Written by Cedrick LaFleur
“Talk Leadership with Cedrick”

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