Accountability and Ownership

Leaders,

I’ve been thinking a lot about the topic of accountability in the new year.  Accountability to do what we say, to walk the talk.  This really is what the “Leadership Philosophy” does for the leader, especially when you ask for feedback from those you lead.  I’ve been encouraging those who have written and shared their leadership philosophy to use it during performance evaluation discussions.  Once you’ve given feedback to those you rate, turn the tables and ask them to do the same for you.  And the standard you want to be evaluated against – should be your leadership philosophy.  Be accountable to your own written standard.

What about your goals?  Do you have 100% commitment to mission accomplishment?  I heard about a Mobile App in which you load up your goals and milestones and then put money toward those goals.  Then, you designate a charity or cause that you DESPISE!  Every time you miss a milestone, money is sent to that organization.  Wow.  What might that do to hold you to your commitments and be accountable to do what you said?

Finally, I’d like to recommend a book to all of you.  I’m sure a few have already discovered it and can echo my comments.  The book is “Extreme Ownership.”  Now, I don’t easily give credit to books written by Navy folk.  This is most definitely an exception!  It gets to the heart of what it means to lead, to own every element of your team, no excuses.  Here are a few quotes I found to be especially impactful from the book:

 - When subordinates are not doing what they should, leaders that exercise Extreme Ownership cannot blame the subordinates.  They must first look in the mirror at themselves.

- Total responsibility for failure is a difficult thing to accept, and taking ownership when things go wrong requires extraordinary humility and courage.

- When leaders blame everyone else, you end up with a unit that never felt they were to blame for anything.  All they did was make excuses and ultimately never made the adjustments necessary to fix problems.

- When setting expectations, no matter what has been said or written, if substandard performance is accepted and no one is held accountable – if there are no consequences – that poor performance becomes the new standard.

- When it comes to performance standards, it’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate.  If you allow the status quo to persist, you can’t expect to improve performance, and you can’t expect to win.

I thought a great example of this was evident from the Houston Texans football coach (Bill O’Brien – BO in the interview below) after his team lost to the New England Patriots last night (14 Jan 2017).  Here is an excerpt from his press conference:

Q: You guys have been 9-7 three straight years. Winning two AFC South titles, get to this point, and play the Patriots in a close game. Is it clear to you even post-game that for you guys to take that next step, the offense has got to take the next step?

BO: Yeah, and again, it starts with me. I don't point fingers. I look in the mirror. I look right square in the mirror and I figure out what I can do better. And I'm already thinking about that right now. You can't have the offense where it's at in this league, and expect to win a championship. And so we've got to figure it out, we've got to improve. I think special teams needs to be more consistent. Obviously you can't give up kickoff returns. Sometimes we look like a great special teams unit. Other times we look like a bunch of, I've got to be careful here, but we look like…not very good. And then offensively, we have to get better. It's pretty obvious. It's not rocket science. It's pretty obvious. I thought our guys fought hard today, and like I said, the Patriots are a great team and this was a tough game.

Q: Billy, you say it's on you…

BO: I'm the head coach.

Q: Is it on personnel too, delivering on the field?

BO: No, it's coaching. We've got to get better, coaching better. We'll evaluate…I'm responsible for a lot of things around here. I'm responsible for the product on the field, so I'm going to try and do a better job. I'm going to work hard to do a better job.

Q: There's a fine line between coaching and on-field execution.

BO: Again, I think it's all about making sure we are putting them in the right position to make plays. Guys, obviously they need to go out there and make plays. They're paid to do that. Again, I look at myself right away. That's the way I was brought up, that's what I believe in. I think we have a good football team. We are better than what we played tonight. I believe in coaching. I think coaching in this league is a very, very, very large part of success, as witnessed tonight on that sideline. So I think that we can do better, and that starts with me.

 Great example of “Extreme Ownership” in action.  It is on us as leaders.  We can’t blame our customers, the Board, the weather, the budget, our higher headquarters, our subordinates, or anyone / anything else.  When we come up short, it starts with that person looking us in the mirror.  Every time!

Anyway, truly recommend the book.  I promise some of you will want to have all of your team read it.  Set up a little study group and have some discussions on what Ownership and Accountability mean within your team! 

Take some time to think about what you are doing to hold yourself, and others accountable.  Do what you say.  Walk the Talk.  Lead the Way!  That's Leader Business! 

P.S. For those interested, you can find the full list of upcoming Leadership “Boot Camps” for 2017 – here!  We have a number of “Open Enrollment” 3-day programs throughout the year in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Inland Empire (San Bernardino).  Let’s talk about giving some of your team members the boost that comes from this kind of intense leadership program!  We teach accountability, goal setting, and the writing of a personal leadership philosophy in these high-impact programs.

Celebrate Success!!

Well, it is that time of year again. We finished up our fiscal year with a bang on September 30th, meeting or exceeding all of our milestones. It really is fun to be a part of team that sets the bar high and then does whatever it takes to get over it! We finished the year with total revenue around $1B and countless projects completed for a very satisfied customer base. Wow!

And as we have done in years past, we celebrated! We had a "New Year's Celebration" on October 1st. It was a great chance to review our accomplishments and to recognize some great people who had made success possible. This year, despite being spread over 3 states in dozens of project offices, I think we were able to leverage technology to connect most of the staff. We presented awards to a couple dozen people who worked hard to meet our end of year goals. We had cake and confetti and party favors and music. It was fun. And then I sent people home early. Yea!

The point is, we do need to take time to celebrate. We need to recognize our heroes. We have to reflect on our accomplishments and the great people who make success possible. It meant a lot to our staff and...it meant a lot to me!

Now, the year is not complete. We still need to complete our After Action Reviews (AARs) and document our lessons learned. We are planning on taking key leaders away for strategic discussions in a few weeks and this learning must be factored into our future plans. Regardless of how good we think we are, we can always improve!

So are you celebrating victories with your team? Do you let loose every once in a while to ensure that your teammates know how much you value what they do? Are you having fun? I hope so. That's Leader Business!

Please take some time to visit this month's Leadership Carnival, hosted by Mountain State University. They have gathered together a number of great posts on leadership and I was happy to see them include my discussion on "INTERNS" as part of their collection. Please check them out!

The Warrior Ethos II

Imagine a team joined by a common set of principles. Imagine a culture in which people believe in each other, who give everything for the mission and for their team, who never, ever quit. Imagine a group of diverse employees unified around a simple set of core beliefs.

The Warrior Ethos is a set of principles by which every soldier lives. It is a reminder of one's true priorities -- mission and each other. It becomes a rallying call when times are difficult; one that inspires people to press on, to never lose focus, and to subordinate self for something much bigger.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

Mission First. Not career first. Not money first. Not personal comfort first. Mission. A warrior refuses to allow anything to come between him or her and accomplishment of the mission. They understand their task and give everything they have to make it happen.

Warriors subordinate everything to the mission. They don't think in terms of billable hours but in terms of completed tasks. Warriors don't watch the clock; they watch the progress bar. They demonstrate drive and determination in everything they do and will not stop until they have completely satisfied their customers, no matter the cost.

Teammates who put mission first create trust. There are no hidden agendas among warriors who are only interested in whatever it takes to complete the assignment. They hold each other accountable, knowing that it takes a team of teams to be successful, each doing their part which in sum leads to victory. No dares let another down. Individuals become team members who think less about their differences and more about how they are unified around a single concept -- mission accomplishment.

In a previous assignment, I was asked to reorganize my team of trainers to meet the changing needs of the Army. I resisted. I had become very comfortable with my team and how we operated. I liked them, they liked me, and we enjoyed what we did. But the truth was that we were not focused on our mission, we were focused on ourselves. We cared less about those whom we were being asked to train and more about how we could fight the proposed changes. The mission was not first!

Be sure that when I announced to my team that we were flawed in our thinking, that it was not about us but rather those whom we served, that we would focus on our new mission, there was some resistance. But this sentiment was quickly replaced by a newly inspired team of teams who understood our priorities, who dispensed with false pretenses, and who subordinated self for the mission. Our customers were thrilled and our team became better and closer than ever before, unified by a single focus: Mission Accomplishment!

So what about you and your team? Do you think and act in accordance with this principle? Let's face it. Many people will say that mission is first but they will act as if they come first. Mission becomes a means to an end. That is how we get projects that come in late, products that don't function as advertised, and organizations that are not built to last. Teammates do not trust each other, people are afraid to take risks or be bold because of self-preservation, and the mission becomes lost in office politics and bureaucratic processes. Customers know it and go somewhere else.

Is mission really first? Are you and your team willing to do whatever it takes, no matter the personal cost and sacrifice, to finish your assignment? Are you focused like a laser on this one priority -- execution?

Warriors put mission first. That is the key to the warrior ethos. And that is Leader Business.

Mission Planning III

In any moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

-- Theodore Roosevelt

A recent study by the US Army War College investigated critical behaviors of senior military leaders. Few skills ranked higher on the required attributes list than the ability to plan missions, solve problems and make decisions. In the last post on this series, we looked at the first two steps of mission planning. We continue with those steps that translate intentions into action.

Step 1. Analyze the mission.

Step 2. Develop alternatives.

Step 3. Analyze alternatives.

Once alternatives are identified, they should be deliberately analyzed and debated with respect to their relative strengths, weaknesses, and risks. Potential courses of action should be measured against critical evaluation criteria (again, those criteria that will differentiate one alternative from another – i.e. cost/speed of implementation, savings, risk, etc.). Criteria with greater relative importance should be weighted accordingly.

Military leaders conduct a deliberate war game for each course of action. These are free-play exercises conducted on a map or in a computer modeling scenario that analyze alternatives by looking at enemy actions and friendly reactions, much like a game of chess. These movements are carried all the way through the final objective with notes taken, casualties assessed, and relative positions recorded. This is an effective way to understand second and third order effects of proposed courses of action.

War game results are entered into a “synchronization matrix” with entries for the enemy and each subordinate unit in relative time and space. Should a particular course of action be selected, this matrix becomes the basis for the detailed orders issued to each unit. While deliberate and somewhat time consuming, there is no substitute for seeing anticipated actions “play out” to enable an understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, and associated risks with the proposed alternative.

Step 4. Make a decision and communicate the results.

Leaders make decisions. That is what they get paid to do. After analysis of alternatives, it is ultimately the leader’s role to select a preferred alternative. If the recommended solution is not adequate or does not meet the intent of the mission, go back to the drawing board or, more likely, modify it as necessary to make it adequate. And while clearly the leader’s prerogative, exercise caution when rejecting subordinate recommendations (i.e. learn how to say no). Leaders must not destroy the creativity and motivation of the subordinate team.

Once an alternative is selected, move out. Leave no doubt about the decision and state, “OK, here is what we are going to do.” Issue mission orders and instructions to the entire team. Communicate task and purpose with guidance that is specific when specificity is required, and intentionally vague when subordinates have the latitude to work out the details on their own. Leaders must ensure that subordinates understand the big picture as well as their own individual requirements.

Army Ranger school is a lot more than surviving for two months on no sleep and one meal per day. It was a small unit leadership laboratory that emphasized the value of clear, detailed mission orders in the following format:

-- Situation – a detailed description of the big picture (both friendly and enemy perspectives). This provides the context for the mission.

-- Mission – the restated problem (from step 1). This section of the mission order gives subordinates the “5 Ws,” the most important of which, “Why?” provides the purpose and motivation for the mission.

-- Execution – includes a description of the overall concept of the operation along with specific tasks for completion and contingency activities based on friendly or enemy actions. All units receive both a task and purpose and understand whether they are in a support or a supported role. Coordinating details (time lines, mission rehearsal schedules, issues common to multiple units) further clarify subordinate requirements.

-- Resources– organizations are provided the necessary resources to meet the demands of the mission. Leaders understand the importance of their role as chief alignment officers and ensure that supplies and mission essential resources are sufficient to accomplish the mission. Forecasted resource demands are a critical output from the war game / alternative analysis step and help leaders proactively address key logistics issues.

-- Command/Communications – addresses critical communication issues pertinent for the mission such as the location of the leader on the battlefield and radio frequencies for communications during the mission.

Mission plans that result from this process are likely to be well thought out and reasonable solutions. They will synchronize the activities and responsibilities of the entire team. Most importantly, this approach to planning should produce a consensus decision, crafted by team members who take ownership of that which they must ultimately execute. Stay tuned for one more post in this series that looks at some other techniques for mission planning and decision-making.

Leaders who fail to plan – plan to fail. They ensure that the mission is well understood and that available alternatives are identified before moving to a solution. These are skills we demand from our leaders, no matter the operational context. That makes the planning process…Leader Business.

Four Powerful Words

We're at the end of our fiscal year. It's time to roll up the sleeves and "git 'er done." Goals and metrics must be met. No excuses. I truly love this time of the year. This is where leadership truly matters. Execution!

I am regularly reminded that 4 simple words can turn a problem around. These 4 words can overcome roadblocks and help teams push through to the objective. When people say, "We can't do it" or "it won't happen" -- I ask, "What Will It Take?"

What will it take to overcome this problem? More people, more money, more equipment? Who can I speak to in order to overcome this issue? How can I help adjust priorities to help meet your requirements? What factors that are beyond your control (but within mine) might I adjust to help make you successful? How can I help?

Too often when team members say that something can't happen, they are basing this belief on the exhaustion of options and resources at their level. We know there is so much more that can be applied to these issues, so much more grease to lessen the friction. But it is not my experience that teammates will ask this question on their own. They culminate when they cannot solve their own problems with their own resources and conclude that it cannot be done. I ask...What will it take?

-- When teams say the schedule does not support mission completion, I ask them to show me one that will. Unconstrained...without assumptions about the availability of resources. Just tell me what it would take to be successful. Let me decide if resources are available to support the plan. Show me a perfect schedule that does complete the task and let me determine how to help you get there.

-- When a teammate suggests that an external party cannot provide something in time to meet the schedule, I ask for their supervisor's number. Let me speak with them and let us confer about how to get the team back on track. Let me find an alternate source of this product that will keep you on your timeline.

-- When a leader shows me a schedule that is based on "doctrinal" processes and procedures, I ask where we might streamline or "crash" the schedule. I understand that "legal review" typically takes 10 days...but they work for me. I know that contracting needs a week to complete their actions...but they work for me. I know that our manuals say it must be done this way...but we wrote the manual! What would it take...to get to where you are trying to go? Let me determine how I can help you get there.

Leaders are focused -- first and foremost -- on mission execution. There is no "can't." Teams have to understand that the mission "MUST" be completed. Together you can determine what it will take to do so. If it is longer hours, more people, more resources, streamlined processes, adjusted priorities...whatever. We must accomplish the mission. No excuses! What will it take?

So I ask you (and myself)-- are you (am I) focused like this? Are we asking our teammates this question and then following up with the assistance that will enable mission accomplishment? Turn the negative into a positive. Don't accept -- "We Can't." Ask them -- "What will it take?" That's what leaders do! That makes it...Leader Business!

It's the Execution...Stupid

Dan McCarthy in his blog, Great Leadership, pointed me to the latest issue of Fortune magazine and the cover story on "The Best Advice I Ever Got." Among the business leader comments that he highlighted, this gem from Mark Hurd at Hewlett-Packard stood out to me:

Nine years after starting at NCR, I moved to a head-office job in Dayton in 1988. An NCR executive was giving a presentation; he had great slides and an even better delivery. The CEO, Chuck Exley, listened to the entire presentation in his typically gracious, courteous manner. At the conclusion, he nodded and said something brief but profound: "Good story, but it's hard to look smart with bad numbers." And as I reflected on it, the presenter, articulate as he was, as good as his slides were, simply had bad numbers. That comment has always stayed with me. You have to focus on the underlying substance. There's just no way to disguise poor performance. I've tried to follow that advice throughout my career. Deliver good numbers and you earn the right for people to listen to you.

What a great reminder to me that it is not the delivery of comments that make our product great but the delivery of product that makes our comments great! It's about the bottom line. It's the execution, stupid!

Too often I get caught up in things that don't matter. My calendar does not reflect my priorities. My conversations are about everything other than what helps us accomplish the mission. I'm not focused on performance. I forget that if I don't execute, it does not matter what else I say or do.

Sometimes I need to hear comments like this. I consider myself a good speaker. My presentations are usually pretty solid. But if I want people to hear what I have to say -- I better be able to back it up. I had better be obsessive about execution. I better spring out of bed and act as if my competition was breathing down my neck. I better have a sense of urgency about delivering on promises and about finishing projects -- on time, under budget, etc.

"Deliver good numbers and you earn the right for people to listen to you." That's Leader Business.

Leaders Execute

It is the end of our performance year and we are totally focused on execution. This is, rightly so, the way our leadership is ultimately measured. Namely, do we accomplish the mission? For me and my team, it is time to knuckle down between now and September 30 - and get the job done.

Here are some of the leadership lessons that I am learning as we approach the finish line:

Communicate with rigor. We cannot have any surprises. If someone needs help they must know to come up on the net immediately, not try to solve their problems on their own…until it is too late to receive assistance. I am constantly calling my key leaders, asking where they stand on key projects and milestones (our top 10), and offering my help. We must proactively communicate with project partners and customers. And we must ensure that the vertical team (my higher headquarters) is fully aware of our expected outcomes. They don’t like surprises, either!

Schedule it / Measure it / Execute it. We can’t have empty promises. I want to know where we are versus the schedule. And I want to see a schedule that is realistic and results in success no later than the key date (30 September for our fiscal year-end). We must be able to measure our progress against our commitments. And if it looks like we are coming up short…see “communicate with rigor,” above. For example, we made some commitments on Monday as to what would be completed by Friday in order to meet our end of year goals. Well…we’ll be working late on Friday. And I’ll be standing at the door…with my schedules in hand!

Align Resources. I believe that among a leader’s most critical tasks is the alignment of resources. Money, people, facilities, tools must be appropriately allocated to those tasks that will enable our end of year success. This is no time for equity (one slice for everyone). The top projects must be provided whatever they need to be successful. Leaders make decisions – timely, well informed, and transparent. See “communicate with rigor,” above.

Watch the clock. Perhaps the most precious resource that must be protected here at crunch time - is time. Protect the team’s time. There is no space for superfluous meetings. And forget about vacations, travel, and training (all important…but not something for the home stretch). In many cases, the way I can enable the success of my team is to minimize distractions and help keep the team’s collective eye on the ball.

Win. Regardless of how and when it is measured, leaders must do everything in their power to win. At the end of the fiscal year, we want to come out on top. A team that understands that second place is not good enough, and whose leaders are willing to do everything to help the team succeed, will leave it all on the field. That is where we want to end up – with our tongues hanging out, exhausted, helping each other cross the finish line. In FIRST PLACE!

Most of us don’t have these end of year constraints. But we all have crunch time: project due dates, proposal submission timelines, end of the semester, election time. What we do here really is the difference maker. This is how leaders influence the battle. Execution is what leadership really is all about.

Execution is…Leader Business.