Function Accountability
Function Accountability in an organization means to know who does what. In other words, to have the “right people doing the right things right”. Moreover, function accountability is when everyone in the organization knows what is expected of them, and performs accordingly.
A key person leaves – what now?
Have you ever had a key person leave, and no one really knew all the work they do and how they will survive without them?
In addition, these are also common issues:
- Floating leaders – leaders are not clear on what is expected of them, or what they are accountable for.
- Floating work – work that is not assigned to an accountable person.
- The role of “management” is not understood or performed, especially the work “between the lines”.
The good news is, what feels like a major issue, is really just misaligned expectations that can be cleared up pretty quickly.
Watch this video in which CoLAB CEO, Barend Cronjé, shares his experiences and advice:
Function Accountability Chart
Would you like to see all the work in your organization, as well as who is accountable for each function, on one page? Then the Function Accountability Chart is what you’re looking for!
The chart lists a common set of functions that (must) exist in al companies. In start-ups or smaller companies, one often finds the founder(s) doing everything. However, when growing the business, the chart helps you figure out which function to delegate next.
Who to delegate Function Accountability to?
When your business scales and grows, you want to delegate the functions listed on the one-page chart to leaders who pass 3 tests:
- Someone who fits into the company culture.
- They don’t have to be managed.
- They often wow the team with their input, comments and insights.
Among other things, the Function Accountability tool lets you list one or two KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) for each function. These represent the measurable activities each functional leader needs to perform. In addition, the outcomes expected for each function are also captured. For example, who is accountable for revenue, gross margin, profit, cash, etc.). These outcomes represent line items on the financial statements.
Benefits of the Function Accountability Chart
The tool helps business leaders to
- See all the work that needs to get done
- Clean-up who is accountable for what work
- Define how to measure success per function
- Diagnose where you have people and performance gaps in the (leadership) team
Gaps in the team?
Generally, you can move people around to fill the gaps in the functional positions at any time. However, if you need to bring someone in from the outside to fill a senior leadership position, it is recommended to do this only once every six to nine months.
Without a doubt, it takes this length of time not only to find the right person, but to get him settled in the new position, as well as to transfer the culture or “DNA” of the organization into his psyche. In turn, the new executive will need this amount of time to positively impact the company. Therefore, take it slow when bringing outsiders into senior leadership roles.
A Function Accountability chart for your company
CoLAB can assist you, as a business leader, to get a quick X-Ray of the functional structure of your company, with our #bestpractical approach, using the ScalingUp methodology.
Barend Cronjé is an expert facilitator and Master ScalingUp practitioner, ready to partner with you on your journey in growing and scaling your business, and ultimately improving profit.
Click HERE to find a suitable slot in Barend’s diary for a quick, free chat, if you need help with function accountability issues in your business.
The CoLAB group serves its’ clients through 3 specialist practices:
