Phil Edelstein is the founder of Content Strategy & Creativea branding and marketing company specialized in financial services.
The current hybrid work environment has many advantages, from improved employee mental health to increase your chances to attract top talent. But it can also lead to operational challenges, especially in large, complex companies with many moving parts. Deadlines are missed. Miscommunications happen. People don’t talk to each other as much as they should.
These challenges should force business leaders committed to preserving hybrid work environments to rethink everything – from their tech stack to their proposal to the employer. It even means rethinking what behaviors you prioritize and celebrate within your company. Which brings us to our topic for today:
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Accountability is perhaps the most important value your company can commit to in today’s modern work world.
First, it is important to define responsibility. Merriam-Webster defines it as “a obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or accountability for one’s actions.” Within organizations, this means that people take responsibility for the products and action points to be delivered and then deliver them on time.
Companies that create a responsible environment will meet their deadlines whether people work remotely or in the office. Everyone knows what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. This emphasis on timely execution means bringing strategic initiatives – which are inevitably organizations’ revenue drivers – to market when and how they are supposed to. A climate of accountability can also create a better culture where people not only take responsibility for action items, but are trusted to deliver when they say they will.
Here are five ways to build accountability into your culture:
1. Make accountability a business value.
Company values are ideally a short list of the behaviors on which your company will not compromise, regardless of the circumstances. Embedding responsibility in your company values ensures that it is an ingrained part of your company DNA and something that is expected of every employee. Just make sure that if you make responsibility one of your values, you’re ready to put your money where your mouth is – nothing is worse than an empty promise to your people.
2. Keep score.
We’ve all seen those signs in warehouses: “It’s been X number of days since the last accident.” The same approach can be applied to all types of businesses. Tracking how long your company has missed an established go-to-market date for major initiatives can create a point of pride and an almost cult-like commitment to maintaining that metric. Think about it – if you work in a very responsible organization, you do real do you want to be the one to bring that score back to zero?
3. Start with the end in mind.
People cannot remain responsible without knowing what they own and when it is due. Ensure each meeting ends with a clear delegation of responsibilities and target dates. Summarize those points of accountability in writing so there is no chance of miscommunication or misses between team members. And remember, any internal status meeting should begin or end with a summary of what needs to be done, who owns the product, and when it needs to be ready.
4. Use technology to your advantage.
There are simple ways to use technology to hold dates for people these days. It could be something as simple as a shared Google calendar that posts important due dates for everyone on your team when they look at their calendars. For larger organizations, it can use project management software to summarize key deliverables and due dates on a regular basis.
5. Celebrate your wins.
Reinforce responsibility by celebrating it. When your team hits important milestones or performs on a key launch date, make sure you take the time to give recognition or even a reward. Nothing supports success like creating pride and trust among your team.
While the working world is becoming increasingly complex, doing business is really simple: get things that generate revenue done on time. Accountability is a simple, single ingredient that can ensure your company does just that.
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Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.