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Many years ago I was given the privilege of spending a day with the individual that wrote a book called "The Game of Work". There is a quote in the book that has always stayed with me, "People will pay for the privilege of working harder than they will work when they are paid." An example is used in the book that I can personally relate to:
"I previously worked for a company, which required me to go into near zero refrigerated warehouses. These warehouses are terribly cold , OSHA and the unions heavily regulate the working conditions. Companies are required to provide clothing, boots, and hot drinks with a 10-minute break every hour for employees that work in these freezers. It's tough to get people to work in those conditions as most people dislike working in the cold. Yet whenever a winter snowstorm arrives within 100 miles of a ski resort, followed by clearing skies and plunging temperatures, there is a sudden jump in employee absenteeism.
Instead of staying home to avoid the freezing temperatures, they migrate to the mountains to spend the day in near zero temperatures. They are equipped with hundreds of dollars of equipment (they bought), they take a reduction in pay for the day off and spend upwards of a hundred dollars on a ski pass to spend the day outside in subfreezing temperatures. There are no hot drink vending machines on the slopes, nor does a skier demand a 10-minute break every hour. People really will pay for the privilege of working harder than they will work when they are paid."
When people usually hear the word "Accountability" they start to hide, duck, and hope they are not the one being blamed. The reason people don't embrace "Accountability" is because the definition itself tends to emphasize past actions as opposed to current or future efforts. Consider The Oz Principle definition of accountability:
"A personal choice to rise above one's circumstances and demonstrate the ownership necessary for achieving desired results — to See It, Own It, Solve It, and Do It.®"
This definition includes a mind-set or attitude of continually asking the question; "What else can I do to rise above my circumstances and achieve the results I desire?" It really is a personal choice to become an accountable person. Nobody can grant you that title of being accountable. You have to earn it.
So as we participate in "The Game of Work" everyday, we have to figure out how we can integrate these tools and models to help your organization become a more accountable organization. The models and tools need to be embraced and become part of your everyday work habits.
Here are some ways that you can integrate the tools from Partners In Leadership with your organization:
- Give Focused Feedback at every meeting
- Ask the question, "What else can I do?" to achieve the desired result
- Integrate the models into your daily activities
- Focused Recognition
As people incorporate The Oz Principle tools and models in their every day work they will continue to rise above their circumstances and take accountability for the results they need to deliver. Chuck Coonradt said, "If winning isn't important, then why do we keep score?" I would like to rephrase that and say, "If being an accountable person isn't important, than why are so many organizations talking about it?"
With just a little bit of effort working with Focus Feedback,® Focused Story Telling, Focused Recognition, and The LIFT Accountability Coaching Model,® you will move your organization up the Levels of Ownership moving in the direction to thrive in today's economy.
People will pay for the privilege of working harder for what they want, but when they get focused on the key results important to the organization and know how they are accountable to deliver them, they will find themselves using the 16 Best Practices from The Oz Principle to deliver.
