WorldWide Drilling Resource

34 SEPTEMBER 2013 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Management Tips by Tim Connor Test Your Accountability One of the major challenges facing organizations today is to ensure consis- tent accountability between employee behavior and the organization’s policies, procedures, and philosophy. Over the years, I have seen numerous instances where rules, standards, expectations, and policies are continuously ignored, sab- otaged, and/or broken for any number of reasons. As a manager, business owner, or executive, ensuring what you expect is actually happening on a routine basis is often a difficult yet necessary task. Some examples where there is a lack of accountability are: favored employ- ees, ego-centered management style, inconsistent discipline, expecting behav- ior without taking the time or effort to inspect the behavior is actually happen- ing, and an out-of-control arrogance mindset by members of management. You can’t manage your organization, department, or group from behind your desk. You must circulate, be visible, and get to know your people. This takes com- mitment and time, but I guarantee it will pay positive dividends in the long run. Perceptions become reality in the minds of employees. It doesn’t matter if what they believe is true or not. If they believe it is true in their minds, then it is true and they will behave accordingly. One of the best ways to determine the prevailing perceptions and attitudes throughout your organization is to con- duct an employee perception and attitude audit. To be truly accurate and effective, I recommend an outside organization conduct it. It should also be confiden- tial. The employees must feel free to share reality without the fear of retribu- tion or punishment for delivering bad news. There are three premises for your consideration when it comes to account- ability: One: Expecting different results from repeated behavior is a mild form of insanity. Two: You get the behavior you re- ward in your organization. If you want to change behavior, you must change the reward system in place that is reinforcing or rewarding this behavior. Three: All culture flows top-down. You can’t change an organization from the bottom-up. In His service, Tim To receive Tim’s weekly FREE motivational booster articles, contact him at www.timconnor.com with “please add me to your free booster e-mail subscriber list” in the subject line. Or contact him via e-mail at admin@ worldwidedrillingresource.com