ACCOUNTABILITY 101: Installment #2 - THE SELF-EMPLOYED MINDSET

Here’s another way to look at the idea of accountability:

Ask anyone you know who is self-employed how much they care about their work and how passionate they are about providing their customers with an exceptional experience. They believe wholeheartedly in their vision and mission; their behavior and choices are aligned with their values. They do the right thing and deliver what they promise; otherwise, their company will not be around very long. They literally own their business.  In his book, We Are All Self Employed, Cliff Hakim argues that workers eventually came to believe that those who owned their own companies were self-employed and those who worked for organizations were entitled to their job, benefits, and perks. They were not, however, self-employed. The urgent message of We Are All Self-Employed is that the “employed” attitude no longer serves anyone well. In fact, it is increasingly hamstringing our success together. A “self-employed” attitude has “emerged as the central belief for fueling your work life.” I believe that when anyone in any organization “owns it,” there is a wonderful opportunity to shift from “renter” to “owner,” which is akin to shifting from an “employed” to a “self-employed” mindset.

Today, I believe that this shift in thinking and behaving is our 911 call to action. To be accountable is to see oneself as self-employed and act as an owner. What can you create with that mindset? That is another coaching question I invite you to answer. To start, let’s do a quick “mind storming” exercise. It is engaging not just our brain but our minds. 

Let’s consider the different approaches of someone who views her/ himself as an owner at work versus someone who views her/himself as just an employee. 

I’m an OWNER	I’m just an employee
Go the extra mile	Do what’s asked/expected
Always follow rules, policies, procedures	Usually follow rules, policy
Interested in finding better ways to work	Not all that motivated to improve
Active & creative problem solver	Reluctant problem solver/Waits for others to provide the fix
Generally upbeat w/’can do’ attitude	Attitude is dependent on others/situations
Almost always part of solution	Sometimes part of the problem
Dedicated, committed (all in)	Provisionally committed
Work to see the bigger picture	Focus on j-o-b duties
The buck stops here	‘Not my responsibility’
We’re on in this together	What’s in it for me?
I’m important to the success of my organization	Does what I do each day matter?
Love to learn & grow	Will learn & grow if necessary
Coach self & others	Accept coaching (maybe)
I’m proud to work here	This is a good as any place
Do the right thing	Do the easy thing
Take an active role	Take a more passive role
Choose a winning attitude	Choose a whining attitude

  

Now it’s your turn. Which are you most days? Do you have a “self-employed” or owner’s approach to your work day? Or do you see yourself as “just an employee” with a “renter’s” attitude? Jot down any insights that you have: (NOTE: This is a free-form, no “wrong-answer” zone. Write whatever comes to mind—there is no right or wrong to this and no one need look at it but you.)

To be continued… Look for our next post, Finding Your Way To Accountability

If you're interested in developing a culture of owners within YOUR organization, my latest book, Own It!, is a great place to start.   Own It!  and it's predecessor, Take The Lead are both available for purchase on the Vantage International website.   

Click here to order a copy of Own It! today