Culture and Engagement

A cascade is a small waterfall. It’s often found in groups, one after another, in a river or stream, and this is why it’s an excellent analogy for how strategy must be cascaded through teams and across organizations to drive results and increase engagement.

Done effectively organizations can achieve greater measures of success for the business, employees, customers/clients and other key stakeholders.

Business literacy is a five-step process that connects individual effort to organizational strategy. It’s how businesses can achieve transformation and mobilize an overwhelming force (your full organization) against their strategy to win key business results.

At its core, business literacy is communication.

First, in educating members on key facts related to a strategy so they can discover new perspectives and collaboration (often through large visuals, like posters).

Second in the dialogue that happens when everyone sits down, informed, and on the same page to discuss how their department, team and individual efforts can work together in a single direction.

In every team, each role plays a vital part, and every member brings a unique contribution to the table. A clear understanding of these roles is the key to inspiring greater engagement, improved performance, and overall thriving in the workplace.

It helps everyone understand the importance and value others bring, facilitates collaboration toward organizational goals and ensures that contributions are recognized. This clarity helps build a culture of accountability and trust, making remote interactions smoother and more effective. It ultimately drives better performance and engagement.

How does your organization approach accountability? What systems are in place to support a positive accountability culture?

You may have an accountability mindset and are developing the skills to hold others accountable, but without the right organizational systems, you won’t be successful in creating a culture of accountability.

Imagine being offered a new job, knowing there’s only enough money to pay you for twelve months. Would you take it?

Nonprofit and community organizations are often limited in their ability to offer long-term roles due to the funding models they have to work within. Demand for talented staff is high, but unstable funding means employees frequently leave before a limited contract expires. 

This high turnover not only disrupts the continuity of work but also hampers the organization’s ability to achieve its mission.

I conducted a survey in 2023, which revealed that although 93% of workers expect to be held accountable, 66% agreed that they find it difficult to hold others accountable. In a Benchmark survey, almost 1/4 of CEOs listed accountability as their biggest weakness.

So, if you are struggling to hold others accountable, you are not alone.  

Thankfully, accountability is a skill we can develop. It’s also a mindset and organizational system.

Today, as baby boomers enter retirement age, over $2 trillion in business assets are at stake as most small business owners plan to exit their business over the next decade. In their survey, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business found that only 9% of business owners have a formal business succession plan. Small businesses are the heart of any economy;

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The four strategies I share in this post will be the beginning of thinking about accountability differently.
Instead of being a ‘bad word’, it will be something your teams will want to embrace.  A mindset where accountability, compassion and respect go hand in hand.

A hybrid team is a team of employees who work remotely and in person throughout the week, often leveraging technology to collaborate seamlessly across different locations. They can work in person four days a week or once a week. Regardless of their hybrid structure, they are considered a hybrid team if they are expected to work in person at some point during the week.

There are many challenges to leading a hybrid team, but one way to ensure a positive work experience for all and get the best performance from your team is to follow shared hybrid work guidelines.