I often tell prospective clients that one of my roles as an executive coach is to be an accountability partner. I have firsthand experience in knowing how important that partnership can be as I look for it personally and professionally myself. It’s much more fun to include others in our goals, successes, and even the failures.

That word, “commitment” rang loudly and sounded a bit like my new nemesis, but ultimately it was not. As noisily as it rang the unwelcome bell of, “It’s time to grow up and be accountable for your own life”, I understood the honor he was placing on his word.

What distinguished the fun work from the not-so-much?

1. I worked for and with people who were engaged; they cared about the company and understood how they could contribute to its success.

2. People cared about each other; it’s unrealistic to expect that everyone in a company will be friends, but demonstrated compassion makes an enormous difference.

3. Fun work environments were safe work environments; people felt safe to speak up and to both voice and try new ideas.

4. We felt heard. Our opinions were solicited and acknowledged.

5. We were proud of our success and our ability to function as a high-performing team.

6. Laughter; while serious about our work, people felt comfortable cracking jokes and having fun together.

A conversation for action is what is required in order to execute on the strategy. It is the simplest, and yet, often the most difficult for teams to stay on point to address WHO, WHAT, BY-WHEN. It involves two things:

Requests and Promises

Service produces gratitude and appreciation from both the giver and receiver.  This is the unexpected outcome that has me want to give more.  I also feel it’s humbling to remember we are all connected and at some point in our lives, everyone needs a helping hand.I just saw a saying today that says something like “there’s a difference between talking to someone when you have the time and making the time to talk to someone”.

As a business coach, I sign a Coaching Agreement with each new client. After the client signs the agreement we have a contract. It’s more of a “handshake” than a real contract, but it’s a promise nonetheless. It’s a sacred thing, and one of the most important details on that paper is that as their coach, I agree to “listen actively for what’s important to them.”

This year, we are going to present a few of the key distinctions that leaders must model to sustain high performance.

1. Developing ownership & accountability in your organization

2. Examining how "perception = reality/default listening"

3. Increasing engagement and trust by expanding your own awareness

The perceived lack of safety in an organization will certainly give you a calm, quiet work environment.

What it will not give you is a high performing team.

I’ve noticed that when I:

1. Let go of control

2. Allow others to figure it out

3. Give others a chance to speak up

4. And listen generously

…I am then BEING my best as a leader. It’s no longer about me, about my personality or leadership characteristics, my new focus is on those I care about impacting: our clients, our team, our family and friends.