You're Not Lazy! Why Not Being Accountable Kills Your Motivation
And How to Avoid the Trap.
When Alan Mulally walked into his new office on a rainy Monday, he had no idea he would be hailed as the savior of an entire industry a few months later.
What about you?
Have you already changed the world today? Or are you still in bed?
I know, I know. You can't always go full throttle through life.
Or can you?
What's the difference between a "lazy ass" at first glance and a top manager, who we'll talk about in a moment?
Hi everyone!
The answer is so astonishingly simple that hardly anyone has thought of it.
But one has.
And how!
This simple insight has not only earned him a headshake, but also admiration.
And lots and lots of money.
Alan Mulally was appointed to the Ford Automotive Company when everything went down the proverbial drain.
In 2006, Ford was on the brink. If you're picturing the Grand Canyon now, you've come to the right place.
The company was nearly bankrupt and Mulally had the humble task of saving Ford.
He didn't know David Copperfield and had nothing to do with magic.
But he understood people.
And he knew what made them tick.
He analyzed the company like no one before him had ever done.
And found out amazing things.
We all think of a modern company like Ford as a monster perfectly equipped with tools.
Kind of an MBA Godzilla with Silicon Valley roots.
All these tools, such as computers, management systems, charts, tables, and spreadsheets - don't do the work, people do it.
And so Mulally studied the people at Ford.
He formulated a new strategic plan.
He relied on one of the most impressive characteristics of people.
Commitment to performance.
The manager scheduled weekly meetings with all senior employees. These were completely transparent and could be viewed by everyone.
What was discussed and decided became the goal.
At first, nobody believed there would be real change.
But Mulally had played the right poker.
The managers started reminding each other of targets and commitments.
They began to point out to colleagues that what had been discussed had not been implemented.
They held each other accountable.
A feeling of "pulling together" was the logical consequence
The "One Ford" plan went down in economic history.
The increased focus and the growing will to save the company became a success celebrated by all critics.
You're right to wonder what this has to do with you and your warm bed.
At first glance, nothing.
At a second glance, however, it does.
A lack of motivation to do things usually has three motives:
Missing or unclear, unmeasurable goals
Lack of an action plan that would lead to the goal
No one to hold you accountable!
The last point is the most crucial.
If no one cares if you are pursuing or achieving your goals, your motivation is like thin ice.
Lake Michigan in the spring, so to speak.
All efforts to achieve a goal take on a new dimension when you share them with someone.
Someone who reminds you regularly in a friendly and supportive way.
Someone who always gives you a little psychological nudge.
An accountability partner is worth their weight in gold.
Imagine a professional boxer who doesn't have a sparring partner...
Exactly!
Unthinkable.
Formulate your goals correctly.
Ask someone to support you with motivation.
And you will achieve much more in less time.
You don't have to turn a company like Ford upside down.
But you really need to get out of that cozy bed, now!
Have a wonderful day!
Thank you for reading.
Daniel
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