Marjorie's Blog

Thursday, September 06, 2007

The Essence of Accountability

The word “Accountability” has come up during client discussions for the past two weeks now, and I’ve discovered a broad range of interpretations of the word. It’s run the gamut from “You figure it out.” to “Just do it the way I tell you to.” How’s that for getting specific? Neither of these interpretations gets to the heart of the matter—leaders want their team members to be answerable for their decisions and actions.

Think of ACCOUNTABILITY in 3 parts:
1) Responsibility - The first step is to say upfront that you are making a commitment to keep your word. This could be at the start of a project, a task, a deadline, whatever. You are saying at the beginning of the activity, “Yes, I’m realiable, trustworthy, and conscientious. You can depend on me to get it done.”

2) Empowerment - This second step happens while you are completing your agreed upon task. Empowerment comes from within you. It’s giving yourself permission to find answers when you come up against a brick wall. It’s different than ‘authority.’ For example, you may not have the authority to sign company checks, but you can empower yourself to find out who does.

3) Accountability - The final step is a review at the conclusion of a task. It’s owning the outcome—good, bad, or indifferent. If you’re like most leaders, you welcome the good outcome and are proably OK with the indifferent one. However, when a project fails your ability to learn from the lessons and regroup is what sets you apart from others.

Simply—Commit to your word; be courageous in finding solutions; own the outcome regardless of success.

Until next time...live like you mean it!
Marjorie

Monday, September 03, 2007

Open Space Technology

Last week I attended a workshop that taught participants to use Open Space Technology. I had heard about it, but not considered it to be an effective tool for teambuilding. It sounded confusing and something for which I could not control the outcome. I was wrong and I was right.

Open Space Technology (OST) is a way to enable all kinds of people to create inspired meetings and events. Using OST as a leadership practice allows ordinary folks to work together to create extraordinary results. The best part of using open space is that it works for groups with 5-2000 participants.

I was wrong about OST being confusing. Quoting directly from the http://www.openspaceworld.org website: “Open Space works best when the work to be done is complex, the people and ideas involved are diverse, the passion for resolution (and potential for conflict) are high, and the time to get it done was yesterday. It’s been called passion bounded by responsibility, the energy of a good coffee break, intentional self-organization, spirit at work, chaos and creativity, evolution in organization, and a simple, powerful way to get people and organizations moving—when and where it’s needed most.

And, while Open Space is known for its apparent lack of structure and welcoming of surprises, it turns out that the Open Space meeting or organization is actually very structured—but that structure is so perfectly fit to the people and the work at hand, that it goes unnoticed in its proper role of supporting (not blocking) best work.”

I was right about the lack of leader control. As the leader of OST, the majority of your work is in preparation for the meeting. Discussion outcomes are dependent on the group coordinators. And that is okay.

If you are managing a team who needs to deliver things smarter, faster, and cheaper, consider investing a couple of hours and using Open Space Technology with your team members to begin problem solving. The preparation time will be well worth it.

Until next time...live like you mean it!
Marjorie

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Remembering Those Who Have Gone Before

August tends to be a more emotional month for me than most. It marks the anniversary of my brother’s death, and the birth of my dad. Both died, at the age of 41, as the pilot in a single-engine airplane...the events 26-years apart.

We all have a story and the longer we live the more diverse the story. A story that is not merely a series of meaningless accidents, but rather a tapestry of events that end in an exquisite plan. The saying, “What doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger,” is never more true than when you think about the sad or horrific parts of your story. For me, these events have shaped me in untold ways and made me stronger.

Author, Regina Brett, recently updated her list of life lessons. Let me share those that relate, not only to my own life, but the life within teams.
* “Frame every so-called disaster with these words: ‘In five years, will this matter?’”
* “However good or bad a situation is, it will change.”
* “Believe in miracles.”
* “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”
* “Forgive everyone everything.”

Look and learn at the lessons from those who have gone before—those team members who risked and failed and those who risked and won. They are both a valuable part of your teams’ legacy. Remember.

Until next time...live like you mean it!
Marjorie

Sunday, August 26, 2007

Podcasting - Is It Worth It?

I’ve started podcasting...thought it would be easy because I consider myself a quick study. Ha!

Here is what I encountered:
* writing the podcasts - that is the easy part
* downloading software to record the podcast - great, unless it’s a beta version
* recording the podcast - it’s important to know which input plug to use (headset vs microphone)
* downloading the interface software - I prefer things to happen by magic...not more downloads
* editing the podcast - you’ve gotta have this so you don’t sound like a dork

After days of trouble-shooting failure and angst, the worst part of me showed up (it’s inside you, too, admit it). The part that starts sending out terse emails, demands immediate fixes, and runs over the feelings of others.

Sound like a team leader under stress? Sure it does! Learning anything new brings out both the worst and best in us. When your “worst” shows up with team members it’s bad, but it’s also fixable. A sincere apology for your bad behavior - “I’m truly sorry!” - is the start and goes a long way to restoring relationships. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

Is podcasting worth it? Yes - in this day of multiple information outlets it’s another way to get out your message. Was it worth learning? Yes, but I also learned to leave the producing of a quality podcast with the team member who is most experienced. As a team leader, you need to be aware of what goes on in your team—you don’t need to complete each task yourself.

Until next time...live like you mean it!
Marjorie

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

These Are Changing Times

Sometimes, we are forced in directions that we ought to have found for ourselves. Don’t you just hate that?

Why is it that when we think of changing something for the better it’s a great idea, but when management changes something for the better we get upset? I suppose the real question is, “What do you mean by ‘better’?” “Better” usually means the situation got easier for me. Perhaps I can give part of my work to someone else. Perhaps I can eliminate some unnecessary paperwork. Perhaps I can offer suggestions to making my job more efficient. All these are noble efforts.

What team members fail to understand, however, is that it is the team leader’s responsibility to CONTINUALLY look for opportunities to either increase revenue or decrease expenses. Making changes in either of these areas will definitely impact how you approach your work. Some changes you will agree with; others you won’t.

How you react to changes that you believe negatively affect your job will probably determine how your team leader involves you in the change process the next time business dictates a new way of doing things.

If you want to be “in the know” about changes in your workplace, open yourself up to the possibility that your reactions (negative or positive) may set the tone for your entire team. It’s all about communication - actively listen to the business concern, ask clarifying questions to better understand the situation, only pass on truthful statements to team members. Don’t editorialize your impressions or feelings. Be seen as a resource not an obstacle.

Until next time...live like you mean it!
Marjorie