Tag Archives: accountabiity

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Delegate or Transfer Accountability

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Managers delegate, leaders transfer accountabilty.  The objective of delegation is to get work done through others.  It is based on a prescriptive (do this, do that) principle.

Transfer of accountabilty enables others to do the right work at the right time in the right way.  This encourages initiative, innovation and builds confidence in others.  That is both their confidence and, based on the outcomes, potentially your own confidence.

Delegation

Good delegation requires a high degree of clarity around requirements and strong agreement to them.  Based on the directions the outcomes or results are also clear.

In conformance with the principles of the Stacey matrix typically the management styles associated with delegation are rational, judgemental or political.

The manager or supervisor focuses on conformity to instruction which should lead to the expected results.  This is very much a command and control methodology.

Transfer Accountability

In this case the assignments are task driven.  The goals and objectives are largely related to deciding the best way to solve the problem, issue or achieve the goal, and then execute.

The progress expectations are not closley monitored.  Failure is an option and when it occurs it is both a reason to celebrate (you tried) and a learning opportunity.

The exercise of accountability requires some authority and the granting of this to others typically results in a rise in personal confidence (something like you have faith in me so I should have faith in myself)

Getting things done through others

Both delegation and transfer of accountability are approaches with benefits and risks.  The context is often important in determining the best approach, or balance thereof, in any given situation however in the long run enabling others to take accountability where feasible will lead to more innovative, creative and higher quality results.

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Sears Canada Bankruptcy Thoughts

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Sears Canada entered bankruptcy protection last week.  The intent of this protection is to enable the Corporation to continue to operate although their debts exceed their assets.

The concept is, by restructuring both the debtors and the Corporation will ultimately be better off.  That is the debtors will end up with more than they would by seizing and selling the assets, the Corporation can continue to exist (in some form)

Of course, the debtors probably still end up with some losses, although depending on how well secured your debt was you might break even.

In theory, the restructuring allows the company to emerge from bankruptcy as a slimer invigorized entity ready to be a world beater once again.

Theory does not always work in practice and some companies have been known to go from bankruptcy to bankruptcy.  (I guess the restructuring teams probably benefited somewhat each time).

Good for the Employees

By continuing to operate in bankruptcy, wholesale layoffs of the work force can be avoided – although restructuring will probably affect some percentage of the employees.

The case of Sears though, is a reminder of how those employee directly impacted can be adversly impacted.  Although the restructing plan is not completed, Sears Canada announced preliminary layoffs of about 3700.

The catch, no serverence will be paid to laid off employees regardless of years of service.

The company does say those employees can sue for their severance, but given the bankruptcy protection any successful litigation would simply result in a unsecured claim.

 

Random thoughts – keeping you on your toes

Accountability Impacts

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Whether at home, work place or within a social organization the effective exercise of accountability is critical.  Lack of defined accountability results in frustration and it’s associated social baggage (anger, despair,  angst, withdrawal, etc)

Defining Accountability

Personal accountability is the willingness to be answerable for outcomes resulting from your choices behavior and actions (I paraphrased this from material I found on the internet.  It is not a direct quote but shortened and summarized a bit).

Collaberative Accountability – shared responsibilities across team members, teams or groups.  High performing teams exhibit the ability to practice joint accountability.  The three musketeers motto is a great example of this.  “One for all and all for one”.

Organizational Accountability – whether the organization is your home, association or workplace the defined leadership structure must include clearly defined accountabilities together with the associated levels of empowerment to exercise them. That is, who does what, when and how vigorously.

Anarchy Reigns

Without some type of accountability (one, two or all of the types noted) the right things don’t get done, except by accident.  The risk of failure is high and paricipants in such situations tend to bail.

I have heard arguments around the value of anarchy, as both a philisophical and political practice but, like communisum, I am not aware of any practicle applications.

Conceptually, maybe although I even question if some of the stated benefits I have heard bandied about anarchic societies are at all real.

So if you have any opportunity to influence or impact (for the better) the level of practice and or effectiveness of personal, collaberative or organizational accountability behaviors within your sphere of operations – do it.  You will be thankful you did.