Full responsibility!
No, it's really not easy. And occasionally unfair. And sometimes most of us feel that we'd rather not do it.
What am I talking about? Maybe you guessed: taking responsibility.
If I had to name one single lever that makes the biggest difference between sustainable success and mediocrity, it would be precisely this: the best people take full responsibility, even for what they cannot do anything about, while some wait or blame others - or both.
Here is the point: We can only act fully responsibly if we first take full ownership for the situation - whether we can do anything about it or not.
In my experience, there are 3 levels of responsibility-culture in companies of all kinds. Your success is largely determined by which level you are at. So, you better know where you stand.
Here are the 3 levels of responsibility:
Level 1: Inner denial. Here, we even have problems with people coming to meetings on time and prepared and keeping promises. This is the lowest level, because everyone can decide this behaviour completely for himself/herself. If people don't feel responsible for such simple things, they refuse to take action. I see this level most often in companies.
Level 2: Individual responsibility. Here, each individual takes full responsibility for his or her own actions and results. Thus, you can rely on anyone. That's a huge leap from level 1. Productivity increases massively, customer service is usually much better and you can make a difference within the company.
Level 3: Collective responsibility. At this level, we take full responsibility for the entire team, no matter what the circumstances. Even when the sky is falling, we don't waste a second with helplessness or blame, but get down to work. Not only can we fully rely on each individual, but also we can trust the team as a whole. Here, I see only a very few teams.
The good news is that you can develop each level of responsibility in a systematic way. If you want to know how, get in touch with me. ➔ Arrange an appointment here.