Finally, a measurement tool for accountability
Countless times in recent months it has been about accountability. Not just in the allowance affair or the fight against Corona. Responsibility is a term used more and more often. We apparently consider it important. Unfortunately, we have to conclude that the term responsibility is mostly used in a negative sense. Because it was missing, missed, denied ... or that there was no longer an active memory of it.
Lack of clarity creates a false start
In practice, everyone appears to understand responsibility slightly differently. This makes for a false start on this important subject. What makes it even more difficult is that in the Dutch language we only use one word for responsibility, whereas in the English language there are already two words: responsible and accountable. With our one word "responsibility," the risk is all the greater that it becomes a catch-all term like "quality. If it is so important, I think we should avoid that.
"In practice, everyone appears to understand responsibility slightly differently."
How do you fill in "responsibility"?
Within the world of internal control in which ARC People operates, I have recently asked many professionals: how do you fill in responsibility? Most answers were along the lines of, "I always include that as one of the important aspects. Further questioning then revealed that the standard they used for good management usually read: 'The tasks, responsibilities and authority are well invested.' When asked, they confessed that this standard did not reveal much potential for improvement in practice. In short, we think it's important, we take it on board ... but it still delivers relatively little.
How did we get a grip on accountability?
At ARC People, we came in contact with Martien Plasmeijer, creator of the GRIP® philosophy. Martien and GRIP® put an end to all ambiguity about the term responsibility for us. The abbreviation GRIP® stands for Growing Responsibility In People. This philosophy interprets the concept of responsibility in an innovative way. It uses very clear principles for how to organize responsibility. Three of them are:
- GRIP® approaches responsibility in a positive way, so responsibility leads to ownership and clarity about "when you get the flowers.
- At GRIP®, accountability is about both goals (hard) and behavior (soft). After all, everyone knows situations where goals are achieved, but with undesirable behavior. Only a combined approach to goals and behavior leads to truly better performance.
- Accountability is organized through fulfillment of a very concrete Accountability Process®, which consists of four process steps: invest, accept, take and account.
"Only a combined approach to goals and behaviors leads to truly better performance."
Making responsibility transparent: it can be done now!
A positive approach, taking into account both goals and behavior, following a clear process: you may begin to understand why we are enthusiastic about this. But there is more: the principles mentioned above have been translated into a measuring instrument: the GRIP-Index®. A unique measuring instrument that maps the quality of the responsibility process within an organization. The results of this measuring instrument give a razor-sharp indication of the process step at which responsibility 'leaks out'. In other words: where is the improvement potential to organize responsibility 100% well: in investing, accepting, taking or justifying?
"The results of this measurement tool show razor-sharp in which process step responsibility is leaking away."
Would you also like to experience the power of the GRIP-Index®?
We are proud to be a value added distributor of the GRIP-Index® with ARC People. We would like to tell you more about this unique measuring instrument. What insights it provides, what experiences there are and what you yourself can learn from it. I am happy to discuss with you the possibilities of applying the GRIP-Index® in your organization (section), as an independent party or together with you. Please do not hesitate to request an appointment below. Or download here the flyer with more information about the background and content of the methodology.
Yes, I would like to schedule an appointment about the GRIP Index
Sander van Oosten
Managing Partner ARC People
