Like most of you, I believe that no matter how well I'm doing, I can always do better. Lately, I have been studying how to get more commitment and accountability out of each person that works here at Fisher CPA Firm, a Houston area CPA Firm.
Here is what I have learned..........
Find Out Where Your Business Stands
During meetings, pay attention to what employees are saying. Are your meetings directed toward commitment and action, what is important and what will get done. Are employees proactively making requests of each other and asking for commitments? Or do they end up storytelling and making excuses?
Do employees discuss how hard they work, how busy they are, how many hours they put in, how little vacation they take; yet wonder why things don't get done? If so, then they are focused on activities instead of results.
Everyone's Held Accountable
When each employee hold themselves accountable, you'll hear responsibility in conversations. Employees will ask each other for help, not victimize, make excuses, or fear lack of knowledge. Instead they'll search for answers and support each other to accomplish their individual and company goals.
Where Do You start?
A culture of commitment and accountability is leadership-driven so creating this culture starts with you, the small business owner. Your role as a business owner is to lead and ensure everyone on your team wins. When your team wins - your small business wins!
Here are some steps you can take to implement a culture of commitment and accountability.
- Tell everyone that the organizational culture is changing. That each employee will be accountable to you and to each employee.
- Make sure each employee understands their role in obtaining the company's strategy and goals.
- Make sure each employee is trained and continues to be trained when necessary so they can help the company reach the ever growing goals.
- Make everyone accountable. When setting goals and assigning work tasks, let them know what you expect and when you expect it.
- Offer ways for employees to communicate obstacles and request the help or resources they need to achieve their goals. Listen to what your employees are saying. Make sure they are not complaining, but are focused on goals and problem resolution.
- Involve employees in an ongoing dialogue about how they can identify process improvements or otherwise increase the quality of their work and the team's productivity. Encourage open discussions about how things can be done better and how to implement these knew ideas.
- Provide frequent feedback to your employees. People don't learn accountability by you just telling them they need to be more accountable. You have to encourage accountability behavior and be intolerant of the excuse mentality. Give recognition for outstanding work! Recognition for good work will encourage others to do the same.
This is a process our firm is beginning. Our goal is to be the best Houston area CPA Firm for Small and Mid size businesses in the Houston area. To reach that goal, every person has to be committed to the goal and be held (and hold themselves) accountable to each other and their leader (me).
I will keep you posted on how we are doing and I am sure you will notice a change in how we serve you.......our client!
