TRIPLE III TIME: Accountability Diversified
One of my major principles during my years as an organizational director was to never want to hear the phrase: “It’s not my job!”…from anyone employed in our group. I believed in and managed the team with a common sense approach of shared accountability. The every day result was an excellent increased operational knowledge of all aspects by all employees, plus a more unified strive for better performance “score” from every sector of the agency.
Would my: anti-It’s not my job? approach work as well today…well maybe? But today I believe our workplaces have become more “specific-skill” driven thereby calling for the need of an Accountability Diversified strategy. Let me explain.
First, let me say that total organizational accountability is still NOT a solo function. However, with the greater influence and impact of distance-businessing….virtual meetings…remote learning…and basic working-from-home occurrences, sharing accountability at the “workplace” has had to adapt accordingly and hence Accountability Diversified has become an option.
As was stated earlier Accountability Diversified makes allowances for less in-person, historic information-sharing practices. This happens when greater responsibility is assigned to leaders to:
- Not treat any individual or group in a “special” way
- Heighten the understanding of performance factors for the entire agency
- Encourage every employee to “stretch” their skills in multiple accountability areas
- Avoid resistance to change
- Strengthen the sense of empowerment among all
- Make product/service quality and quantity a common thread within agency-wide communications
- Not allow progressive organizational joint ventures/partnerships to suffer
Bottomline: Accountability Diversified does NOT enable specific-skilled employees to adopt the “It’s not my job!” mentality at any time. Rather their special contribution to an organization will place them in an even greater ACCOUNTABILITY position when regularly communicated by LEADERSHIP!
TRIPLE III TIME: “The PITCH of a Lifetime!”
This week I had the privilege and honor to be a judge at an annual wonderful “shark-tank” event! More than fifty (50) teams of primarily college students had the unique opportunity to “PITCH” their new business/product/service ideas to a panel of judges for a short five (5) minutes. Each team’s goal was to obtain a spot for the next round of PITCH competition and perhaps win investor support including significant money awards. The experience for me every year is new, fun, encouraging and professional network expanding.
So as I was driving both to and from the event…I found myself thinking about what special idea/concept would I PITCH today if given the chance? Where would I start? What problem needs a solution or what’s missing at home or at work to make something better? Would I try to improve a current product or service…or would I create something totally new and different? Other questions that entered my mind included:
- What could I PITCH that wouldn’t cost a ton of money?
- Could I create a new techno-APP that GOOGLE would buy from me?
- How could I improve the current products/services I currently provide?
- Who could I partner with to strategize together on building something special?
- What could I create that currently would have very little competition in the marketplace?
(A great way to spend extended road time!)
I know I have said it before but I believe everyone…yes EVERYONE has an innovator, creationist gene/bone inside of them. And truly the only one that can (and must) exercise that gene/bone…is YOU!
This week’s TRIPLE III TIME message: “The PITCH of a Lifetime!” is intended to re-ignite the creative potential “sleeping” inside of you. Think about being in front of a group of shark tank judges…with some dollars to award and you need “The PITCH of a Lifetime!”
What would you propose??
TRIPLE III TIME: A Personalized SUPPLY CHAIN?
I don’t care how old you are…your current employment situation…where you live…how much education you have…and/or your financial status…I will bet you have never constructed A Personalized SUPPLY CHAIN visual projecting your “what-next”…future life/work steps?
Think about it! Consider the special value of creating a private business-based, step-ladder designed…one-page diagram of YOUR plans for the future.
Over the years as I have worked in my director/consultant day-jobs, I have used a SUPPLY CHAIN structure many times to make a basic plan for steady Creation & Development for multiple people and organizations. The use of a short…to-the-point SUPPLY CHAIN visual…in almost every situation allows for quick, direct focus by EVERYONE…EVERYTIME!
Go ahead…put YOUR name at the top of the Creation & Development… A Personalized SUPPLY CHAIN chart! So now what?
First, I can reassuringly report to everyone that thinking about the “What Do I Want?” section always seems to be the toughest part of building the SUPPLY CHAIN. Trying to narrow down and make simple this first area is naturally a “where do I start or restart” challenge! However, once people get past “Pre-Planning The Want”…not surprisingly many of the next development areas seem to come more easily.
Next it is necessary to keep an open…yes innovative-mind as you consider any and all personal growth factors. Remember today there are so many more informational items/opportunities online (even across the globe) that can enhance A Personalized SUPPLY CHAIN. So to achieve the bottom-line goal…a single page document/outline that “charts-YOUR-course” for quality personal and professional development…can prove to be a wonderful action endeavor.
I hope you create a cool SUPPLY CHAIN. I also hope you don’t make it too detailed and overwhelming right from the start. Baby steps are AOK…as long as they are future steps.
Enjoy this special assignment.
TRIPLE III TIME: Interviewing With Authenticity
One of the standard components of every “job search” workshop is a strong segment on interviewing. Having a great resume, a good work history, extra education and a number of quality references can all be very important…but in the end how you “perform” during an interview most often holds the success attainment key to that next job.
But wait, how about if we turn the table. For professional development’s sake…did you ever wonder what kind of “interviewing preparation” steps are taken by those who are conducting the interviews?
The goal of this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message: Interviewing With Authenticity is to focus on the critical role taken by every job interviewer with regard to personnel selection and organizational growth.
In many circumstances today interviews are conducted with a team of organizational leaders…right? And almost standardly there is one person who makes sure each interviewer has a list of questions to ask…in what order…and by who. Does that sound familiar?
So when you think of that scenario…isn’t it everyone’s wish to have the person being interviewed to shine…be confident…and be authentic…right? But what about the interviewers…does the process described sound “shiny” and in any way push the interview team to look/feel in any way authentic??
I believe that it is extremely necessary for all organizations to assess their employee interview processes and to specifically prioritize the “personality” you wish to convey and effectively begin with Interviewing With Authenticity!
Yes I know there are certain legal questions you must avoid…but consider does your interview team and process reflect your agency culture…commitment to growth…future purpose…and a united foundation. Or does your interview method portray a maintenance organization with historic practices I don’t even want to list.
Although Interviewing With Authenticity should be easy….my challenge in preparing this TRIPLE III TIME message reveals it is not. So start by taking a hard look at your interview processes and make progressive personality and AUTHENTICITY upgrades as appropriate. I guarantee your next interview will be FUN!
LEARNING MOMENTS Podcast: Meetin Preparation
Sometimes advancing professional development pushes you to go back to the basics. This month’s podcast Meeting Preparation… is all about that journey.
Whether it is appropriately AGENDA SHARING in our transparent times… or strategically building Meeting Preparation OWNERSHIP… improving in these areas is just progress necessary.
Finally, although TIME MANAGEMENT is necessary, and even critical in our over-informational world… prioritizing it in every Meeting Preparation moment is solid common sense.
I hope you enjoy the listen and share this message to colleagues.
TRIPLE III TIME: “Can’t We Just Say: GROWTH SKILLS?”
Is it the year 2024…or are we still in a time of older use of out-of-date terms like: Hard Skills and Soft Skills? Maybe it is just me…but I feel confused when I hear people in different employment sectors tell me how important “Soft Skills” have now become and that “Hard Skills” knowledge has been placed on the back burner. Or maybe its when I show my often old-fashioned state of mind and I ask consultant customers to explain and list the Hard Skills versus Soft Skills so I can be more aware of this transitional occurrence!!
Today I believe that in the workplace… there is no longer an either/or position regarding Hard/Soft Skills. Time, occupational blending and cross-training has dissolved much of the traditional separation of Hard and Soft Skill traits. How… because sometimes you need to be tough-minded… but also caring in working with customers/employees. Additionally, isn’t it critical in the public or private sector that everyone understand performance and the fiscal bottom line? Yes… but stressing the importance of team-building, idea-generation and emotional intelligence is also high-value when building professional GROWTH SKILLS.
Am I making my point?? Let’s continue.
When a conversation comes around to a discussion of Hard and Soft Skill development in my consultant job areas… I try to steer the conversation to a new list of professional GROWTH SKILLS which I refer to as a set of 5-C’s:
- Communication
- Conflict
- Collaboration
- Competition
- Compromise
Think about it! Each of the 5-C’s GROWTH SKILLS components absolutely require experience, knowledge, and expertise derived from historic Hard and Soft Skills definitions and applications. However, the challenge TODAY is to effectively blend them within today’s 5-C’s GROWTH SKILLS line-up.
Now… “Can’t We Just Say: GROWTH SKILLS?”
TRIPLE III TIME: What Do Customers REALLY Want?
It is always interesting to work with different public and private organizations and talk with them about their customers…their wants…needs…service/product expectations and adjustments that may need to be made. One of the most challenging discussion areas is how different groups determine: What Do Customers REALLY Want?
In a way this question and the answer(s) should come about very easily…right?
Well as YOU work with customers in YOUR day job…do YOU do a solid job answering this TRIPLE III TIME question?
What I have found is that many times history provides the first-line answer to the customer Wants question. Or sometimes it is the governmental guidelines that take precedence over questions asked. Or pre-determined answers that are driven by… “this is all we have right now”?! Or finally there is the likely occasion that customer Wants are organized around a strategy of services via “staff convenience”?!
In ALL workplace situations today…I think it is prime time to relook at the ever-critical question: What Do Customers REALLY Want? In my consultant business I have to report that rarely do potential customers REALLY know exactly what they Want the first time we sit down. Instead it is only after a more detailed question, answer and discussion period that the best REALLY Want answer shows up.
Times have changed…people have changed…products and services in all areas have changed…so the: What Do Customers REALLY Want? question answer(s) should not be easy or automatic. Rather allow customers and yourself the progressive discovery time to develop the best Want answer possible. Time and money are both factors that seem to become more limited each day. Therefore, taking some quality time to get the better/best: What Do Customers REALLY Want? answers early on…will be a priceless return-on-investment in the long run.
TRIPLE III TIME: Service Leadership
This week was one of those weeks that required me to “shift-gears” multiple times to match the “client-customer” needs that I was responsible for. And as I shared some of my thoughts and frustrations with a close colleague…I remembered a very special purposed leadership quote:
“Service leadership means more than just meeting the current needs of your client competently and efficiently. It also means stepping beyond the traditional client/provider boundaries to inspire change and fulfill the promise and the potential for the client.
Service leadership also means more than knowing your client. It requires the mastery of topics, issues, and insights related to your client’s experiences, goals, thinking, motivations and needs. A service leader creates a vivid picture of what will make the client prosper not only today but tomorrow. With that picture firmly in mind, the service leader then commits himself or herself to making it happen.”
(Henry Givray: Profile in Leadership)
As you can assume this quote and TRIPLE III TIME message are mostly directed to those involved in public sector/service jobs. In my career, I have logged over 40 years to the “CAUSE” of Service Leadership. And whether the client-customer was one person needing help and guidance with their life circumstances or an agency group who were in constant pursuit of that “ALWAYS A BETTER WAY!” opportunity, the principles in Mr. Givray’squote have held an important place in my daily actions.
It is critical with every passing day, that those in Service Leadership positions practice what they preach. Unfortunately there seems to be an ever-growing number of inappropriate leaders in important service positions. The result is the sharing of mis-information, conflict in workplaces, promises made but not kept and/or a lowering standard for doing your best and commitment to quality.
Bottomline: Do NOT take your Service Leadershipcapacities/responsibilities lightly. Client-customers still view you as LEADERS everyday…EVERYDAY! Reread Henry Givray’s quote one more time…it’s worth the reminder.
TRIPLE III TIME: TRANSFORMATION is NEVER a Single Event
“Transformation is a difficult process for workers at all levels of the organization. Employees who have spent decades responding to orders are now being asked to think, innovate, and make strategic decisions. Workers accustomed to being commanded from above must now assume a high level of autonomy and responsibility.
While many companies will make the transformation to the new story of business, others are likely to remain stuck in the old story. Some will simply refuse to acknowledge the need for transformation. Others will confuse transformation with reform, and attempt to apply new story approaches within fundamentally unchanged organizations. Still others will begin the transformation, only to revert to the old story during a period of crisis.”
(Quotes taken from Charles Garfield’s book: Second To None…The Productive Power of Putting People First.)
It is so important to take some TRIPLE III TIME…and critically absorb all of the very important points contained in Mr. Garfield’s words. Purely his reminding all of us in any workplace…that TRANSFORMATION is NEVER A Single Event!
Think about all the variables that will impact our worlds of work today and tomorrow. New bosses, employee changes, different products, diverse customers, more (or less) organizational operations dollars, a global economy, governments & politics and the list continues. So when someone tells you to take TRANSFORMATION personally…they are offering very solid, timely advice.
Continuous organization/business TRANSFORMATION is now just a necessary “standard operating procedure” in order to stay strong and competitive in today’s economy. Likewise, as Mr. Garfield points out, critical thinking, employing innovation options and making strategic decisions has also become a regular equal opportunity responsibility for personnel at all operational levels.
Is TRANSFORMATION a bad thing…absolutely not!! Accepting that TRANSFORMATION is NEVER A Single Event and that adopting an operational philosophy that progressive change is and should be an everyday opportunity…is just growing in the right direction!
TRIPLE III TIME: The LIMITS of Having a Routine
Isn’t it interesting how many people have and even depend on having a routine for their daily functions! Now don’t start thinking that I am making fun of these very important… staying life-organized… stability-driven… and monitoring yourself (and maybe those who you live and work with) responsibilities. However, have you ever openly considered The LIMITS of Having a Routine with regard to not allowing CREATIVITY… IDEA GENERATION and INNOVATION in your everydays??
I believe that there are a whole group of people in the world that think: “I wish I could have … would have… should have…” when considering The LIMITS of Having a Routine existence. People have sacrificed pursuing a unique career, attaining some form of higher education opportunity and/or visiting out-of-the-way places… in lieu of employing a life/work routine that promotes standardized consistency.
Well as you have probably already guessed… the REAL purpose of this TRIPLE III TIME message is to offer unique concepts on how to “bend” The LIMITS of Having a Routine and maybe adopt a few “cool variations” into your routine! Possibly you start by:
- Establishing a CREATIVITY TIME GAP every day. (Maybe begin with 15 minutes… then 30…60?)
- Establishing a WHAT ELSE? LIST of activities that are mentally/physically non-traditional in your days.
- Establishing a NON-AGE CONNECTED MENU of thoughts and social media information items to review and study each day.
- Establishing an ADVANCING PERSONAL GROWTH LADDER. Each week consider a club, class, volunteer service group, etc. to join and grow with.
- Establishing a brand-new OPPORTUNITY NETWORK for yourself. Its purpose and membership can be all yours.
Truthfully, I appreciate a routine too. But I also appreciate the Super 5 ROUTINE UNLIMITERS outlined above to help me take personal and professional growth steps… everyday… EVERYDAY!
Inspiring Innovations, Inc. 