If you asked whose job is this … would it be a toss-up?
Whose job is it anyway? Does every one in your company know exactly what their job entails, what their responsibilities are, what authority exists in the position, and who they report to and who reports to them?
Organization charts
Is there a clearly defined organizational chart showing where everyone fits and if not, why not? Is it ok to step on each other toes? If something needs to get done, is it a jump ball? Whoever gets the task assigned, whoever wants the ball, or even whoever doesn’t want the ball, are they allowed to run away?
How do we keep the organization functioning properly? The game must be played. Are you playing to win, or are you happy to just be in the game? Are your players coachable or do they do what they want for a paycheck?
Do they tell you when they want to play or are you telling them? Do the players determine what position they are playing, or are you defining it for them? Do the players run the plays they want or are you calling the plays they run?
Attitude and respect
Are you the owner, the manager, the head coach, the assistance coach or the player? How are you treating the players around you? Do you have the right players on the team? Do they all have positive attitudes and are they excited about coming to work every day? Do they respect the ownership, their team members, their management, and themselves? Or is it always a bit of a scrum?
Who is responsible?
If they are not excited, why are they there? Who allows them to underperform? What are their behaviors and how do they work with others? Who is responsible for the team’s performance…”you are!”
Permission
Sometimes you have to give yourself permission to make the tough changes in your business that you know need to occur. Usually you have to change first. How will you think, act, and do things differently in order to get different results?
Implement Through Leadership
First let everyone know that the standards are going to improve. Let them know they can be part of it or in the way. Provide the tools that will allow the organization to succeed. Create a common goal that everyone can get behind.
Include everyone, and let the team know what is going on and where you are going. Let them know that taking risks is allowed and will be supported. Create a learning environment so that everyone can improve. Systemize everything you can and train your people on how to follow your systems.
Freedom
Build an organization that is accountable, responsible, engaged in continuous learning, respectful, inclusive, and focused on the goal. You will have fewer jump balls and with the right players, with the right attitudes, following the right systems, you will be in a position to win the game.
