Feb 10, 2021, By Sam Bhanot
Taking ownership simply means No Excuses. You commit to getting something done = you get it done. There are two types of commitments that you will be asked to make on a regular basis:
Type 1. Where factors mostly within your control decide the outcome;
Type 2. Where factors NOT within your control substantially affect the outcome
Examples of Type 1 Commitments include:
• Showing up at office/meeting/site at a set time
• Sending your weekly report by every [Monday] morning
• Uploading a copy of your receipt as soon as you purchase something for the Project/Company
Type 1 Commitments form the absolute bare minimum contract that every team member must be able to honor. Team performance takes a serious hit even if a single player is having difficulty operating at this level. In Staten culture, we obviously expect and require EVERYONE to be able to fulfill these basic commitments. It is a learned skill and may take some time to master but everyone can and should get there. Pay specific attention to your Time Management and Estimation skills and soon you’ll be delivering on your basic promises.
A vast majority of the commitments that mid to senior level managers are expected to deliver on, however, are Type 2 commitments. Very few things of significance are 100% within our control in the real world. Below are some examples of Type 2 commitments:
• Grow revenue or profitability by x%
• Get the project done below budget and on schedule
• Increase Key metric #n by y% by z date
Consistently delivering on Type-2 commitments earns you celebrity status, dedicated fan base, fast advancement, superior compensation and above all deep internal satisfaction. This is not an easy feat by any measure – but certainly doable.
Remember: the items we are discussing here have been done millions of time before – successfully – by other people; and the risk factors are known. The steps required, within your control, to ensure a successful outcome are known. It is just a question of your effort and drive to do what needs to be done.
There are technical aspects of estimating and figuring out what to commit to in the first place, but I am assuming that those are already present in you – the leader. It is simply a question of how far you are willing to go to deliver. How much effort/energy are you willing to put in to get the job done as committed. The outcome they committed to did not materialize. But with proper planning, and diligent execution these should not have stood in the way of your hitting the goal. Remember, you committed to delivering this result…did you really try your best to achieve it? There are way too many situations and examples, but I will quote a few to illustrate:
• “I sent an email but they did not respond”: You own the result – not the person you emailed. Did you follow up with call(s), urgent call(s), text(s), Team, Social Media? Did you try to meet them? Call their boss, their associate? Reach your boss, your associates to see how to get the info you need
• “Truck was late”: Did you have the trucks details – drivers phone number, time when it left, your stop in their schedule? Did you talk to the driver? Did you get a prior commitment from the shipment team? Convery how important this delivery was? What scheduled at the last minute?
Making sure that all our team members deliver on their Type 2 commitments 100% of the time – is our ultimate objective. No excuses. This is the foundation of a team that will execute far superior to competition and create loyal following of customers.
Thanks for reading. We love to hear from you – leave us your comments.