It’s kind of lonely at the top, isn’t it? Admit it. Who’s missing from the image that accompanies this blog? That’s right the CEO or executive director or president. The person who takes the responsibility when things go wrong and shares the credit when times are good.
Today, I’d like to talk about an issue that helps to build leaders at various levels of your organization – accountability.
True leaders have many great qualities such as the ability to:
have perspective
accept risk
adapt to situations
sort through details
know the business
and know how to solve problems.
Accountability is acknowledging responsibility for your actions, judgments, and policies. It also carries with it the responsibility of being accountable for consequences.
It strikes me that effective leaders create a culture of obligation when they take the time and effort to define accountability as being responsible for one’s own actions. Leaders create ownership when they have formally coached team associates to make wise choices. Staff have to be trusted to make the right decisions on certain issues. Leaders, executive directors, for example, cannot be everywhere all the time . That’s why creating the above mentioned culture of obligation and having it permeate through your organization is so vital.
Effective leadership is all about being consistent in terms of what you say and what you do. Consistent self-discipline sends a unified message that you are unwavering in attitude, approach, emotions, and behavior–every time. The consistency between what you believe and how you implement those beliefs is cannot be overestimated.
It’s also important to avoid showing negative emotions or any emotions in the extreme. This, to me, is an essential leadership fundamental.
Results Will Be the Result!
What I mean by this is the outcome of an employee’s worthy performance could increase production, donor development as well as a work environment that is productive and enjoyable.
Teaching your staff to view themselves as part of a whole, not just as individuals is the very definition of “team.”
A well organized and accountable leader can lead the team from in front and can be extremely important in the growth of the organization. The sense of responsibility that he instills in his staff goes a long way towards an understanding of what makes any organization run effectively.
When Rescigno’s coaches a staff, the first thing we look for is the wild card in the bunch. This is the person who tries to sabotage meetings and, in general, disrupt a cohesive working environment. If we can win that individual over to “our side,” usually everyone else follows suit.
Without making this too negative, leaders would be well served to know who their saboteurs are and, if possible, turn them into advocates for their nonprofit.
Leaders, would you be willing to share your success stories? I’d love to hear them.