Business Mastery

One of my prospective clients had scheduled a brand-new restaurant opening day last week. But, it did not happen.

All the employees had been hired and trained and showed up for their first day to serve customers.

Hordes of anxious new patrons were lined up outside the front doors.

The local press had sent a camera crew and reporter planning to publish the success of the opening day.

But, also present was an official of the state’s health department. She had a notice in her hand requiring the restaurant to remain closed until a required document was filed properly.

The owner told me that he was very surprised because one of his senior management had the responsibility to complete the required documentation. In addition, that manager was his son-in-law and one of the restaurants owners.

When and if the outcome will be successful remains unclear.

Sadly, this incident reminded me of how many people believe that responsibility for something means that it will be done.

Actually, there’s very little connection between having the responsibility for something and things actually getting done as expected or hoped for.

Most of the time and individual’s areas of responsibility are delineated in their position descriptions or job descriptions.

Simply because someone has the responsibility, as outlined in their position description, doesn’t mean they’ll actually perform the job as you would have anticipated.

The best way to think about this is to envision a group of people with the same responsibilities.

That group could be your salesforce,  your file clerks or your warehouse personnel. People in those kinds of jobs, like schoolteachers, all have similar responsibilities. You know however, their actual job performance varies widely. Individually they will range from in competent to magnificent.

What the restaurant owner required and what you must always insist on is accountability.

In simple terms accountability means a culture of people giving their word and actually keeping it. Everyone else’s role is to insist people finish what they have agreed to do.