Harrop Getting Stuff Done

A 7 Step Process to Ending Procrastination and Achieving More
1. Auflage 2015
ISBN: 978-0-9943198-4-5
Verlag: Michael Hanrahan Publishing
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 156 Seiten

Are you looking for advice on how to get more done in your life? Have you realised that just 'pedalling' faster isn't going to be a long-term solution? Right now, does the load you are carrying seem to be getting bigger every day? Do you need smart, proven advice that has one specific outcome - helping you to get more of the right stuff done? If you answered yes to any of these questions then this book is for you. A crucial step to achieving more and procrastinating less is being able to hold yourself and others accountable. In Getting Stuff Done you will be introduced to an easy-to-understand framework - the Seven Steps to Accountability - that will help you achieve personal accountability, first for yourself and then with others. When we have personal accountability we are more engaged, productive, use our time better, have more satisfaction at work, have better relationships, and feel better about ourselves.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Harrop, Sam

Leseproben

Responsibility vs accountability

If you are struggling to get stuff done, you are not alone. In fact, research shows that we are all feeling increasing levels of frustration in our businesses, our companies, our jobs and our lives because we are struggling to get everything done that needs to be done.

It is often easy to blame our circumstances or other people as to why we can’t get stuff done, when in reality it starts with us. The challenge of not being able to get stuff done is most often caused by lack of personal accountability.

You need to be able to hold yourself accountable first before you can really hold others accountable. The good news is when you are able to hold yourself accountable your chances of success multiply exponentially.

Many people confuse responsibility with accountability, and even just understanding the fine distinction between the two can make a tremendous difference.

Responsibility is based on activity, accountability is based on results.

This is why so many people end up being so busy and achieving so little. Unfortunately, many people think that the only solution is to work harder, longer and more frantically, and so the cycle continues until they burn out.

What is accountability?

Accountability is being willing to answer for the outcomes resulting from your choices, behaviours and actions.

Accountability is a process that has a start, middle and end. Accountability is personal; even if you are part of a team, each team member will be expected to achieve certain results.

When we have personal accountability we are more engaged, productive, use our time better, have more satisfaction at work, have better relationships and feel better about ourselves.

The question is, why do so few people attempt personal accountability and why do even fewer people live it?

The Seven Steps to Accountability

The definition of accountability has three key elements with regards to the person being held accountable.

First, they must be willing to participate – this is Step 1.

Secondly, the outcome must be results-based – this is Step 2.

And thirdly, they must take ownership.

To take ownership they need to understand and accept the task as well as be able to take action to achieve the agreed-upon results and be answerable for the results achieved, regardless of the outcome – this involves Steps 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7!

So what are my Seven Steps to Accountability?

• Step 1: Why? You need to find a compelling reason so that you are willing to participate, and to continue to participate even when times get tough!
• Step 2: Define the outcome. Clarity is power, so let’s get SMART in defining what a good outcome is.
• Step 3: Reality check. What is the current reality, where are you and how did you end up here?
• Step 4: Planning. How are you going to get from where you are now to where you want to go?
• Step 5: Action. Doing the right things at the right time to get the right results!
• Step 6: Reporting. You cannot manage what you cannot measure!
• Step 7: Reviewing. What is and is not working, and what needs to change?

Successful businesses are based on individuals who practise personal accountability. If everyone in the team is asking, “What can we do?”, then nobody is asking, “What can I do?”

The end of productivity – procrastination

Procrastination is a sneaky little problem and is one of the biggest challenges to achieving personal accountability.

We all know how it starts – you put off doing something until a “little later”, then a “little later” again, and then a “little later” again … and so the cycle continues.

People often think that all they are losing is some precious time, however I can tell you that you are losing more than that; procrastination results in increased stress levels and feeling overwhelmed, and that is a massive problem. Most people stop when they hit the point of being overwhelmed. They don’t take any action, and with no action there are no results! This then leads to feelings of regret.

One of my favourite quotes is from Jim Rohn:

“There are two types of pain you will go through in life, the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tonnes.”

Take care of the little things while they are still little. The analogy I like to use is think of when a child gets a splinter – often the thought of the pain in having it pulled out is too much so they put it off or ask you to put it off. The problem with that is the little wound now gets infected and you end up with a big, painful, pussy sore …

How much has procrastination cost you in the past? What opportunities have you missed or how much time have you wasted thinking about having to do something and then not doing it, only to find out later that you are busy thinking about doing it again.

Do what you have to do when you need to do it – don’t delay … Just do it!

What does this have to do with business?

A crucial step in building a profitable, sustainable business is to be able to achieve the right results, and this is where the element of accountability is so important. Responsibility is something that can be delegated, however with accountability the “buck” stops with a person, in this case you. Accountability is applicable to everyone, even if they are not the owner of the business; if a person takes ownership of their role, position or for a particular outcome then they can be held accountable.

What are the key roles that need to be filled in a business?

In a business there are many different roles that need to be fulfilled. Each of these roles needs to achieve specific results (accountability) which in turn requires someone to instigate and complete many different activities and tasks (responsibilities).

Business owners need to understand that being a business owner is a profession. Many business owners don’t realise this – they think because they are good at their trade or profession, something that they have studied and practised for years, that they will also be good at running a business. This usually results in people having a business for which they know how to do the work of the business but they don’t know how to get the business to work for them.

I often meet business owners who focus mainly on their role of working in the business as “an employee”, often filling multiple roles or positions. Depending on the type of business, these roles could include administration, marketing, sales, human resources, operations, production and many more. In the early stages of a business this can be important, however it can be disastrous in the long term, especially if the business owners don’t put a value on their time.

It’s important for me to say here that having started, bought and built a number of different businesses of my own, I am familiar with “bootstrapping” a business start-up, and I understand that a business owner is not always able to take a fair market wage out of the business initially. What I do recommend, though, is to put a value on their time and see that as their “investment” in the business. This is often referred to as “sweat equity”.

When you invest in a business you are a shareholder, and as a shareholder you expect a return on investment. As a shareholder you are entitled to a share of the profits of your business, you want to know that the business is growing and that your shares will increase in value, and ultimately you would also like to receive some dividends.

In a business it is the General Manager or Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who is accountable for the profits and growth of the business. To be able to do this they need to be responsible for the day-to-day operations as well as being involved with creating a strategic plan and implementing it.

You need to be clear about the roles that you fill in the business, so ask yourself:

• Are you a shareholder?
• Are you the General Manager or Chief Executive Officer?
• Are you an employee?
• As an employee, how many employee-type roles do you currently fill?
• What are the key accountabilities for each of the roles you fill in your business?
• If someone other than you was filling those roles, what would you expect or demand from them?

A really good exercise to help answer these questions is to create an organisational chart for the business.

Why does a business need an organisational chart?

In his book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey emphasises the importance of starting with the end in mind. So, what will the business look like when it is finished is always a great point to consider.

Even if you are a “solopreneur” you will still need to fulfil numerous roles or positions within your business, and this is where creating an organisational chart of what your business will look like in the future to achieve your goals is a great exercise.

Often people say to me, “But there is only me or one or two others in the business; why do I need to have an organisational chart?” And the reason is, for a business to be successful there are certain outcomes in various areas that need to be achieved. As a founder of a business your name in the beginning may very well be in every single...