The Wrong Way to Look At Holding People Accountable
There’s probably not one topic that spurs as much conversation in our work of executive coaching or sales leadership than the topic of accountability.
Few of us like to be held accountable, yet we all like to hold others accountable for their behavior. So when ever I hear a sales leader (VP Sales, Sales Manager), go down the “we need more accountability” path, I always wonder why.
- Did you hire people who were not accountable to themselves?
- Do you create an atmosphere somehow in the company that tolerates mediocrity?
- Is it just a secret method of control or a power play?
Our Recommendation
Why do we believe we can do a better job of holding people accountable than they can do holding themselves accountable? Forget about holding others accountable. 
“WHOOOOO ARE YOU?” –P. Townsend
In this obvious time of reflection prior to heading into a new year, I thought it would be helpful to give you some questions to ask yourself.
- Why am I doing what I do for a living?
- What do I REALLY want to do day after day after day?
- What makes me deliriously happy?
- What do I loathe?
- What am I most afraid of?
- What is my most limiting belief?
- What would happen if I took a risk beyond my current comprehension?
- What thoughts do I have that limit my performance?
- What mask do I wear and why?
- Whom do I know that can mentor me/help me?
- What knowledge do I have that others would love to know?
- Whom do admire? Why?
- What behaviors am I most proud of/best at?
- What behaviors am I least proud/worst at?
- When is this blog post going to end?
Now…use this as a free-flow thought provoker as you travel from place to place and mentally prepare for next year.
Cheers!
A Great Example of Accountability
Cold-Calling
My friend Dan runs a restaurant equipment company. As you can imagine, they’ve gone through some tough times recently and he has had to lay off several people in his firm.
But his heart really broke when he had to lay off Marvin, a 26-year employee who had battled prostate cancer and other illness over the last few years. But there was just no place in the company for Marvin anymore. A few days after he let Marvin go, he got a phone call—Marvin asking to schedule some time with him sometime in the next couple of days. Dan agreed, and Marvin came in with a proposition.
Let Me Make Cold Calls
At that meeting, Marvin talked about his tremendous commitment to the company and how he loved the business and knew a lot of customers. He wanted to cold call past clients, inactive clients and new prospects to see if they were interested in buying equipment. But there was a catch.
Marvin didn’t want any money for it; all he wanted was the commission that came from the sales if he made any.
Now think about this. Marvin is a guy who’s never been in sales, never made one cold call, never went on one appointment, but willing to work for performance only.
Sitting around tonight complaining about the economy and how you’re going to have to bail out the at-leasters, think about Marvin. If we had three million Marvins, we just might not have the unemployment problem.
Another Closed Business. And Another Example of Crappy Marketing
President Obama has encouraged us to “be accountable and responsible” in our lives. So since he’s my President now, I’m taking that to heart. But I’m also encouraging my clients and other businesses to do the same.
Recently, I drove by a retail lighting store that had bitten the dust. No doubt they will blame the economy — and some banker is probably holding the bag for thousands. Yet, was it really the economy’s fault?
No.
You see, I remember going into that store last year for two sconce lights. When I walked in, I was impressed with the inventory. (When you’re 6’5″ and walk into a lighting store, you can basically ‘feel every light.’)
But as I looked for someone to help me, there was no one there. Only one guy working with one customer. So I waited. And waited. And waited. Never did he acknowledge me–or say, “Sir, I’ll be with you in a minute.” Nor was there any sign-in sheet at the front register where I could have registered my grievance and in so doing give him a chance to call back and make it right.
Nothing.
So I walked out and never went back. And since that day, I never saw any advertising or marketing from that store at all. Zip.
Those Who Beat Themselves Should Please Stop Whining
So I can only assume that the economy didn’t beat them. They beat themselves. The beat themselves because their sales and marketing sucked. The Big Three are failing because their products are not in demand–and haven’t been for decades.
Your business may be failing as well. But before it does, ask yourself a question. “Am I investing all I need to invest in sales and marketing? You probably aren’t.
No, I don’t mean the same old crap that doesn’t work anymore–direct mail, billboards, media buys. At least it hasn’t worked for most B2B businesses.
Your Customers Are Gold. Treat Them That Way.
Are you treating your current clients like gold? Are you giving them first shot at new products? Are you asking for referrals? Are you doing anything creative at all–like customer events, new client seminars, webinars?
Or are you just hunkered down in your same old-fashioned, worn out sales and marketing approach that will never work again?
If you are, I feel sorry for you. Your time is limited. You might be able to weather it if you have a lot of money banked away. Unfortunately, most don’t.
BUT, if you’re beginning to think differently about sales and marketing…if you are subscribing to blogs/podcasts/and other online content…if you really are committed to growing during bad times… then you will prosper beyond your wildest dreams.
As I’ve said before, recessions have great ways of hammering those that are not accountable and responsible — and thinning out those who were on treacherous ground anyway.
Now, if we could just get the government to be accountable and responsible, we’d make real progress!
Feeling Down? Think Zerbin Singleton.
I was wat
ching the Navy-Notre Dame football game last week and heard an unbelievable story about the Navy running back, Zerbin Singleton. His story brought tears to my eyes – tears of grace and hopefulness.
The short version is that his mom was incarcerated for drug abuse and other things when he was young. After making the rounds of being raised by Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents, his father came back into his life.
But shortly thereafter, his dad committed suicide. He was in high school at the time.
Pretty severe hand he was dealt, huh? So how does a young man turn that turbulence and heartache into success? Well, he did. He graduated Magna Cum Laude in his high school class. After being turned down at Navy, he attended college in GA – but he never lost his dream of playing football at the Naval Academy.
Somewhere along the way, I’m sure he had counsel who said, “Hey, consider yourself lucky. Think of where you are – versus where you could be. Think of the odds you’ve beaten to even be in college.”
But that wasn’t enough for him.
After his freshman year, he went back at Navy again. This time he got in. And now he’s majoring in Aerospace Engineering at the Academy – and playing college football.
So the next time you complain a little because things didn’t go your way – or you begin to feel sorry for yourself at the hand you were dealt, think about PVT Singleton. I know I will. He had no options. He HAD to make it happen. He didn’t have parents to nurture him – to coddle him – or to bail him out.
He is the poster boy for PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY. Like Nietsche says, “That which doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger.”
