According to Bill Bonnstetter of TTI, the #1 skill for peak performers and great leaders is PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY. Bonnstetter points out, “My research into superior performers has shown that 100% of the time, these are people who have a strong sense of personal accountability.”
They recognize, that just as famed pastor, Robert Schuller once remarked, “If it is to be, it is up to me!” So, instead of choosing to blame others for their misfortunes or make excuses for why they did or didn’t do something, they face situations head on and take responsibility for their part. No, I’m not suggesting only viewing life’s challenges through rose-colored glasses or with a pollyanna-ish outlook, but today, probably more than ever, many want to blame their problems on someone or something else…other people, the competition, the economy, etc., etc., etc. That’s why in executive coaching, we strive to stay focused on our side of the street. What do I have control over in impacting my success? What is it in me or my company that is holding me back?
In his book, FocalPoint, Brian Tracy says that “fully 80% of our constraints are within us, our company, etc. and that only 20% are outside of us.” He continues that, “When you want to accomplish great things, you always start with yourself and work out from there.”
Further, psychologists say that you will feel good about yourself to the degree to which you feel that you are in control of your own life. They call this your “locus of control.” And, people with an “internal locus of control”, those who feel that they are behind the wheels of their own lives, tend to be low-stress, high performance individuals (i.e. Leaders and Victors).
In conclusion, while pursuing your own PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, you might find it helpful to recall the words Reinhold Niebuhr offered in his Serenity Prayer:
“God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.”
I once heard John Maxwell talk about sending ducks to “Eagle School.” He said that no matter how hard you try, as soon as you hand them their “Eagle School Certificate,” they’ll waddle right off the stage, because they’re ducks.
The point is that it’s almost impossible to turn a historical underperformer into an “A Player” “Eagle.” It’s much better to hire “A Player” “Eagles” from the outset. So, at the start of your next recruiting project, be sure to sit down with key stakeholders (hiring manager, HR, someone affected by the position, current top performers, etc.) and decide exactly what your next “A Player” “Eagle” will look like by creating a scorecard/benchmark:
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Clearly define the purpose or reason why the position exists
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Determine 3-5 results/accountabilities you expect from the position
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Identify top skills, behaviors and values necessary for success in the position
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Determine non-negotiables such as years of experience, education, etc.
Once you’ve designed your benchmark, advertise for the position based on your benchmark and then score the candidates you screen and interview against the benchmark until you identify and hire your next “A Player” “Eagle.”
The first step to hiring eagles is to get better at not hiring ducks. But, if a duck should slip in under your radar, I would suggest that once identified, you establish a timeline to coach and mentor them which culminates in either another opportunity to continue growing and improving or results in their dismissal or resignation due to lack of improvement. But then again, maybe you will be the one to turn that duck into an eagle!
Here’s a great movie from SimpleTruths.com that further illustrates the point:
I hope you are implementing the 7 Keys to Increasing Your Value (The 1000% Formula for Success) that we’ve been discussing the past couple of weeks…into your day, business and life.
Small incremental improvements (as little as 1/10% each day) lead to big changes over time…26% in 1 year, 100% in less than 3 years and more than 1000% in 10 years.
Here’s a quick recap and links to the previous posts:
1. Read 30-60 minutes each day.
2. Re-write you major goals each day.
3. Plan each day and week in advance.
4. Be a MonoManiac…always be working on your #1 task.
5. Turn your car into Auto University.
6. Review every action: What did I do right? What would I do differently?
7. Treat everyone you meet like a $1,000,000 customer!
Treat everyone you meet like a $1,000,000 customer! This is Key #7 and our final key to Increasing Your Value by 1000%.
Let’s call this the “Golden Rule Key”. From Wikipedia: The Golden Rule is an ethical code that states one has a right to just treatment, and a responsibility to ensure justice for others. A key element of the golden rule is that a person attempting to live by this rule treats all people, not just members of his or her in-group, with consideration.
So, exactly how would you treat someone who had purchased $1,000,000 worth of your products or services? I suspect pretty darn good. And the truth is that you never know what a relationship might lead to…be it physical purchases, lifelong referrals or valuable friendships and partnerships. And be sure to begin this effort at home. I often hear people talk about being less forgiving and compassionate toward family members than they are toward their customers. The people at home should always be treated like the most important people in our lives…because they are!
So remember, next time you shake hands or say hello to someone your meeting for the first time…smile and be encouraging…because you might be speaking to your next $1,000,000 customer!
Key #5 to Increasing Your Value…Leverage Your Drive Time Through Auto-U!
Begin using your drive time for continuous learning, improvement and encouragement. If you only spend 1 hour in your car (bus, train, etc.) each day, that is 365 hours of learning you could be benefiting from each year. Instead of listening to mindless talk radio or news (although I do occasionally, including classic rock) buy a non-fiction book on CD or download an MP3 and listen to them through your car stereo.
Even if you only attend Auto-U for half of your drive time, you’ll be absorbing nearly a book a month. WOW! What will you learn first…a new language, a better way to manage your time, or maybe even a way to improve the quality of your relationships.
Need to start an audio library? Please accept my gift of a free MP3 (click the link to immediately download): Brian Tracy Tele-Seminar on Achieving Work-Life Balance.
