• Validated Issues
• Perceived Issues
• Unknown Issues

Validated Issues are those which have been discussed for years among the staff and continue as unresolved. They remain an annoyance and an impediment to productivity. For example, perhaps there is frustration over the organizations ability to forecast business results; or your ability to implement a consistent method of accountability for the Sales Department. Whatever your validated issues, Accountability Partners can move you immediately into PLANNING and EXECUTING.

Perceived Issues are valid issues among a small group of individuals but not enough to allow for the budgeting of management time or organization resources. They require further validation to create management buy-in and allow the prioritization of time and resources. As the perceived issues are evaluated, it results in the issues being understood as unique “one-off” with no action necessary, or found to be material issues across a small segment of the organization or systematic across the entire organization which does justify planning toward resolution.

Unknown Issues….as you may have learned - “It’s not when you get the good news that counts, it’s when you get the bad news!” Many major crises can be avoided by the early detection of unknown issues. Proactive organizations seek out information on a regular basis to determine what underlying issues are present.

Accountability Partners has a variety of tools and processes to assist organizations in validating perceived issues and illuminating unknown issues.

PLAN: We many times get paralyzed by waiting for all the facts and needing more information. The area between having enough information and moving forward in a practical manner is a necessary skill of the management team. A guideline is to budget the amount of time in the Planning Phase to the expected impact on the organization in terms of culture, financial risk and financial opportunity. Areas of low impact should move through planning quickly with the ability to re-enter it as necessary. Acquisitions, new product lines, geographic expansion are areas of significant risk and opportunity that obviously require an appropriate amount of planning.

Once an issue has been selected to enter the Planning process AP follows a traditional “SMART” process, as well as utilizing a variety of other tools depending upon the issues being addressed. Issues are documented by identifying:

Specific – This is the problem statement as well as the desired end-state.
Measurable - What are the metrics we will use to determine progress and attainment?
Attainable - A frank commentary on the risks and obstacles facing attainment along with the plans for addressing each area.
Resources - The planning process make take into consideration the staff time, corporate assets needed and an expense/capitalization analysis.
Timeline - A list of detailed actions steps with individuals assigned to each step and a date of completion.

Depending on the type of issue being addressed, tools such as the Six Sigma Charter process may be used as well as supplemental tools such as MS Project.

EXECUTE: Execution is what separates the most successful organizations from the failures. You can get everything else right, but if you fail at execution all is for naught and opportunity lost.

The Execution Phase is ownership of the SMART process. It is the ability to work through the unexpected, maintaining successful implementation on time and in budget. It requires accountability to the group and effective communication to the effected clients, customers, members, vendors and/or organizational associates.

Whether your staff needs mentoring in Execution or you require additional interim support for a specific initiative, Accountability Partners is available and ready to go. Please contact us for a no-obligation consultation or click here for more information.