Last year was a big year and one I’m sure all of us will never forget. We’ve been pulled up and down, left and right with so much uncertainty, it’s become the next normal of the way we live and work.
January is a great time to stop and reflect on a few thought-provoking questions that will help you kick start the new year with intention and set both you and your team up, ready and re-energised for 2022.
There are a million questions we could ask ourselves; however, I’ve found these 5 questions are simple, impactive and help you get out of your own head. I’ve been using these during mentoring and coaching programs to regularly check-in, and help leaders and their teams recalibrate.
Make the space to reflect and respond on the 5 questions below:
- What are you most proud of this year?
- What is one goal that must be achieved by the end of the year?
- What is one change you need to make by the end of 2020?
- What is one relationship you feel you need to forge, strengthen or grow?
- What is one habit you need to let go of, and what is one new habit you need to create?
When you have answered these questions, it’s a great idea to share them with a peer or run this as a team exercise. Like anything, knowing is one thing, but the action is where the magic is. Make sure you commit and take ownership of whatever you decide to do.
Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Accountability has many parts. A bit like ingredients in a recipe, only when combined with true ownership can the cake rise and be a success. In any role, especially as a leader, it all starts with self-accountability, and I reckon these questions need to be answered, owned and ideally actioned.
Accountability and ownership are two different things. When fused together, I call it ‘Ownerbility’. It’s the ability to take full responsibility and ownership. Accountability is external and is usually the means to an end. Accountability is something that is assigned to you or something you have been asked to do. When this happens, whoever assigned the accountability is still the owner of it—a reason delegation has to be thoroughly considered.
Some of the guiding principles of accountability include:
- How we make a commitment to each other
- How we measure and monitor progress
- How we respond when things don’t go as planned
- How much ownership we actually take to get things done
Ownership is more around possessing or the state of being an owner―taking ownership of something. Ownership cannot be taught, but, as a leader, you can portray ownership that will cascade, and in essence, become part of your team’s culture. When compared to accountability, ownership is not given to you or assigned to you; it is, in most cases, taken. When your manager gives you something, he or she cannot assign ownership. In the same way, you cannot assign ownership to those in your team.
- The guiding principles of ownership include:
- How we are going to make something happen
- The success measures that can be put in place
- Ensure full internal commitment and attachment to completing
- Embrace a feeling of care and responsibility.
Accountability and ownership are intertwined and ensuring both are ignited, will provide clarity, focus and results. Answering these questions is one dimensional unless you take ownership and action your plan, nothing will change.
Take some time to reflect and reset, you deserve it!
As always, I’d love to hear your feedback and ideas for future articles.
Lead to be Limitless…
Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder. Your responses are anonymous, and the results summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.
Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’, and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.
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