Support: Responsibility

We're talking today about responsibility. It's almost becoming an unfashionable word; Especially when you add the word ‘personal’. However, today we're talking about responsibility in the context of supporting growth.

Mitt Romney, like him or not, said something that I think holds true, “Leadership is about taking responsibility, not making excuses.” Again, not necessarily a popular or even contemporary topic. I'm a big believer in personal responsibility and I ask for it in the people that I've led over the years, and now with the leaders I mentor.

There's something inherently good about the person that gets it wrong, yet admits it, takes responsibility, and takes it on the chin. Today we're talking a little bit broader than just personal responsibility, but rather responsibility as it functions in a larger organisational context.

The potential frustration here is that in a culture of fear blame is shifted around. No one takes responsibility. Even in a culture of trust, there can be a problem, where through well-meaning intentions, inefficiency or lack of capability is masked by other people or processes alleviating an issue. This downgrades an organisation’s capacity and ability to grow.

What we want is responsibility in the places it should be. If you get this right the cogs in the wheel move smoothly in the machine. If it's not working parts of the organisation will slow down the effectiveness and limit growth. A mechanical watch with a part that’s stuck won’t tell you the time. Or if it does, it will be wrong.

The principle here is not only that we should take responsibility generally, but that full transparent responsibility and accountability should be abundantly clear to every individual.

When there is true responsibility across an organisation, it is like a seamless web where we all bear the burden and the accountability, but gladly carry it because it comes in a culture of empowerment and high performance. If that web is lopsided or has holes in it, it just doesn't work.

Having run sales organisations for many years and now advising the same, there seems to be a perennial issue between people in ‘sales’ and ‘supply chain’. Where do the responsibilities lie?

Many years ago, I was running a small textile business and there was constant conflict between the sales reps and the warehouse. So, I implemented a “spend some time in their boots” initiative. I put some of my key warehouse guys in the cars with the sales reps and they went to meet customers. They began to understand the need for urgency and quick response.

The sales reps spent time in the warehouse and realised just how hard work it could be. The issue was largely resolved, and solutions put in place once there was clear understanding of who's responsibility was whose, and what the mutual challenges were.

The problem turned out to be an aggregation of orders at the end of the day with a demand to dispatch immediately. This was unreasonable pressure and responsibility for the warehouse. The responsibility shifted to the salespeople to get their orders in early and to educate the customers to know that if they got their orders in by 2:00 PM they would be dispatched the same day. The responsibility of the salespeople was clear. Their responsibility of the warehouse people was clear. The outcome was a better solution for all stakeholders; oh and yes….growth!

Are the responsibilities in your organisation, firstly clear, and secondly, in the right place? Take a moment to think through some of the issues you're experiencing and whether the responsibilities are in the right place.

Because, if we have responsibilities in the right place, we are supporting the ability of the organisation to function well and to grow.