By Evans Tu (President & CEO, Synnex Group)
No one ever sees themselves as irresponsible. Yet the following situation often arises in business organisations: although every employee from different function consider themselves to have fulfilled their assigned responsibilities, businesses are still faced with problems and loopholes in its operations. What is the reason behind this?
Whenever problems arise at the workplace, most individuals are quick to clarify who is at fault and whether the problem falls within their area of responsibility. While they do not take ownership for problems that fall outside their remits, they believe they should also not be held accountable for mistakes made by others even when it falls under their area of responsibility. For these individuals, being responsible simply means performing one’s assigned duties and responsibilities well.
Businesses are typically organised by different functions that specialise in various tasks. Although these functions might be tightly linked to each other, there often exists grey areas between them where responsibility and accountability cannot be easily assigned. These areas are not only complex, they are also where mistakes tend to occur.
Certain individuals only take ownership for matters that fall within their scope of responsibility. They refrain from making mistakes in their own work and are quick to assume responsibility for mistakes that are made within their remits. Not only are these individuals careful about the way they do their work, they are also particularly sensitive when it comes to grey areas as they worry about “crossing the line” and offending others at the workplace. Since they try to limit their own scope of responsibilities as far as possible, the chances of them making mistakes are low. On the surface, although it may seem as if they are completing their assigned duties in a responsible manner, in reality they tend to pass the buck and leave grey areas uncared for (Refer to Picture 1). These individuals who focus only on completing tasks instead of doing their work well often leave managers feeling hopeless.
On the contrary, other individuals acknowledge the fact that different functions within the company are highly interdependent. They know that to do well at work, they must also take other matters related to their function or grey areas into consideration (Refer to B + X in Picture 2). Whenever they face situations in which accountability and responsibility is unclear, they often take the initiative to shoulder more responsibilities. They proactively seek solutions to problems and monitor closely whether improvements are made to grey areas. Over time, they are able to broaden their perspective and enhance their high-level thinking. As a result, they become a lot of more experienced and mature in their thinking and ability to execute tasks in comparison to their peers.
By assuming responsibility over these grey areas, these individuals would rather “cross boundaries” than pass the buck. As they proactively take ownership of these areas, they manage to enhance their capabilities and ability to think wisely over time. From the above, we can see that to be truly responsible, one must be proactive and enthusiastic at their work. Individuals who display these qualities will always be talents that companies are looking to nurture.
From the company’s perspective, grey areas would not be left uncared for if everyone was proactive and enthusiastic at their work. Instead these areas would help improve the business’s operations and become a breeding ground for human talent. On the contrary, individuals who solely look after their own assigned responsibilities will only engage in “passive enthusiasm” in the long term. They will leave the company with more and more problems, causing supervisors to feel hopeless. In the long term, companies must eliminate these individuals.