Roger Connors, co-CEO of Partners In Leadership, is a three-time New York Times best-selling author. He and his business partner, Tom Smith, have authored multiple books on workplace accountability. Their most recent book, “The Wisdom of Oz: Using Personal Accountability to Succeed in Everything You Do,” shows readers that taking responsibility for actions will provide the strength and confidence needed to succeed at any goal. Smart Business spoke with Connors about increasing the power of personal accountability to achieve what one desires.
Is creating a culture of accountability implemented from the ground up or top down?
When a leader exemplifies what it is he or she is looking for in the company’s culture, there’s a multiplier effect that causes other people to move and create momentum. When dealing with accountability and culture, leaders should begin with the relative top. So, if you’re working with a team, it’s the team leadership. If you’re working with a division or a department, it’s the divisional or department leadership. If it’s the entire enterprise, then it’s the senior management team.
It’s a leader-led process, but there’s a lot of activity across the organization, across functionality and between peers that helps drive a culture of accountability.
Are there common traps that companies miss when it comes to accountability?
If a leader is unclear about the results he or she wants the organization to achieve, he or she will not clearly communicate and prioritize those results.
Most organizations have 40 or 50 corporate objectives. Tom and I have worked with an organization that had 150. Those 150 things fall into the list of “What do you want?” What would be those top three or four results that you need to achieve?
Accountability begins by defining results.
Performance management processes are not working for organizations today. They’re not driving the connection between key prioritized results and the work people do on a daily basis. One of the traps is the results trap. That trap is not clearly identifying those three or four key results you really want to accomplish.
Are there ways to embed accountability when people first join a company?
I think an important part of this is the business case for why compliance is essential. People act based on how they think, and so affecting how people think affects how they act.
When talking about a high-compliance environment, there has to be a tight case for why compliance is important. New hires have to buy into the business’s case for why compliance has such fine requirements and what the costs of not complying are. They have to buy in to the mission of the organization and the principle that compliance is embedded directly in accomplishing that mission.
“The Wisdom of Oz: Using Personal Accountability to Succeed in Everything You Do”
>> By Roger Connors and Tom Smith
>> Portfolio, 160 pages, $26.95
About the book>>“The Wisdom of Oz: Using Personal Accountability to Succeed in Everything You Do” presents practical and powerful principles of personal accountability in simple terms.
The author>> Roger Connors and Tom Smith, co-CEOs of Partners in Leadership, are New York Times best-selling authors. Their company has served thousands of clients and trained more than a million people.
Why you should read it>>“The Wisdom of Oz” reiterates the hard truth that nothing stands in the way of your desires but yourself. Personal accountability will help you solve problems and achieve goals. Leaders can also apply the principles presented to instill a culture of accountability and motivate employees.
Why it’s different>>“The Wisdom of Oz” empowers readers to make a difference at home, in the community and in the workplace. The book helps mold a mindset to own and control what you can and let go of what you cannot.
Can’t miss>> “Below the Line” and “Above the Line” describe two modes of thinking. Below the Line is where people live with a sense of victimhood and blame. Above the Line is where you’re in charge of your life and destiny. Guided through four steps — See It, Own It, Solve It and Do It — readers will be able to live consistently above the line.
To share or not to share>> This book is a must-read for anyone who feels stuck in their professional career or personal life. This book will help readers unlock their truest potential by instilling strength and confidence in all they do. Discover what is possible with “The Wisdom of Oz.”
