Why Your Leadership Team Isn’t Taking Accountability—And How to Fix It
Why is it so hard to get your team to do what you want them to?
There's a big jump we go through in business that isn't talked about nearly enough. That jump is the transition from being a good doer to a good leader.
Let's be honest, it's not really a jump; it's a transformation. The majority of us business owners start off as doers.
We're good at what we do, we don't like working for others, and we know we can do the business thing better on our own.
That ability to do whatever your thing is to a high standard, combined with a bit of vision and the willingness to work extremely hard, is what enabled you to get a business off the ground. It's a significant achievement that very few people ever accomplish, and you should be proud.
But at some point, being good at your thing and willing to work hard goes from being an asset to a hindrance. That point is when you have grown a decent-sized team (let's say 10 or more people).
Now, the success and growth of your business are no longer dependent on how well you can do a thing but on how well you can inspire and lead a team to do things.
Once you crack the code of being able to get your team to do the right things to a high standard without your oversight, you create a win-win.
You are no longer stuck in your business and have freedom. Your team feels confident, proud, and empowered. Your customers get a consistent and ever-improving experience. Your business grows as standard and becomes attractive to buyers/investors.
But it's this step that many business owners struggle with the most. That doesn't, however, mean that it's unsolvable. It's actually quite straightforward to solve. The reason so many struggle with it is that it's such a big change.
Failing to step up to this challenge means you're destined to stay in the unhappy place around 80% of all small business owners find themselves: feeling stuck in your business, with no exit plan and a team that isn't empowered.
So, how do you get your team to do what you need them to without you checking up on them or holding them accountable? Through one simple system. Systems might sound complex and intimidating, but all a system is is a process that replaces you or takes a task (you don't enjoy) away from you.
I'm willing to bet two things you'd like to never have to do again are:
Constantly checking up on your team to ensure they're doing what they said they would.
Getting frustrated with your team because what they did isn't to the standard you expected.
Am I right?
I thought so. So here's a proven system that prevents you from ever having to do that again.
Key Results
Repeat after me: "My team cannot see inside my mind."
We business owners walk around with two ridiculous beliefs:
Firstly, we believe that our team can and should be able to see inside our minds.
Secondly, we think that everyone can and should think like us.
We're wrong on both counts, but I know this is true because I work with tons of business owners and I am one myself.
This leads to us vomiting ideas and goals onto our team, drawing incomprehensible plans on whiteboards, and assuming that our team—because they nod in agreement—knows exactly what we are expecting of them.
They don't. Often we don't. And they're nodding because they are human and want to please you.
The way you fix this is by never again, from this moment forward, committing to anything without agreeing to at least 1-3 key results. You are to become a master of the statement, "as measured by." By doing this, you and your team are forced to get crystal clear on what it is you are actually committing to and what success looks like before agreeing. Guess what happens when you do this? Things get done to the right standard.
Let's look at a quick example:
"We're going to implement this new sales strategy of dropping 'we're in the neighbourhood' leaflets to the streets we're doing work in."
It sounds like a great idea, but how do you know it's working?
And what EXACTLY are you expecting of people?
If you don't get clear on this, I guarantee that three months down the line, little will have happened with this idea, and you'll be pulling your hair out.
Now, let's look at the task with key results added.
Focus
"We're going to implement this new sales strategy of dropping 'we're in the neighbourhood' leaflets to the streets we're doing work in."
Key results - (as measured by):
- Drop leaflets into 20 nearest houses next to every job we do for the next 3 months.
- Validate their effectiveness by achieving at least 5% conversion of leaflets into enquiries.
- Generate at least £5k in sales through this campaign.
Instantly, you feel more confident and clear about what has been agreed upon. Not only do you feel this way, but so does your team, who have agreed to this. It's good for you, good for your team, and good for business.
Why wouldn't you do this moving forward? Because it takes time and a bit of confidence... and because you're a small business owner, which means I can almost guarantee you're:
- Impatient
- Scatter-brained
- Always in a rush
Remember, I'm one too. Trust me—make key results a non-negotiable, and you'll transform the way you and your team approach goals for the better.
Another system you'll need to back this up is a check-in system.
I've outlined how to integrate the key results and check-in system into any small business in the video below. If you'd like to have a chat with me or my team about integrating this into your business, use the button below to request a call.
To your success.
