Mike Evans

Accountability is the Catalyst to: Accelerated Change, Robust Employee Engagement, Intensified Ownership, Relentless Perseverance, Impeccable Alignment, and propels individuals, teams and organizations to intoxicating heights of achievement and success. Learn what it takes to awaken the whatever it takes attitude, belief, resolve, perseverance, confidence, determination, drive and creativity to achieve what matters most to individuals, teams and organizations. 

Accountability crumbles silos, boosts teamwork and collaboration, strengthens camaraderie, creativity, resiliency, agility, trust, and communication. Accountability is a current that feeds into the slipstream of success. Your performance, your decisions, and your results are all within your control; when you operate from that premise, magic happens. You deliver like never before because you are personally invested in the outcome. Achieve with Accountability shows you how to nourish that can-do mindset, so you can begin to achieve what matters most.

Discover how to transform accountability into a positive, engaging and forward looking experience that will secure your position in the new world of work. Learn how to kick-start a revolution that will blast your team or organization to new heights of success.  With the world coming at us fast and furious every day, it’s easy to feel like you’ve lost control of your own life, your team or your organization. By choosing to take and lead accountability you reclaim control and are able to direct your own destiny.

• Discover the 4 keys to accountability, along with the observable best practices. 
• Cultivate the agility, flexibility and resiliency to adapt and thrive during constant change.
• Foster collaboration, camaraderie and teamwork – Establish unshakable trust and credibility.
• Intensify ownership, engagement and alignment – Crumble silos and abolish territorialism.
• Instill a can-do, steely resolve, solutions focused mindset in the face of difficult challenges, obstacles and barriers.
• Eradicate the blame-game and vanquish excuse-making that stifle peak performance.
• Shed feelings of disarray, discomfort, apathy, entitlement, indifference and despair.
• Unleash voluntary contributions of discretionary performance that is often left untapped in individuals, teams and organizations.

Welcome to the age of self-determination. The era of ‘entitlement’ is history. It’s up to you to take charge of your career and life. You must become CEO of Me, Inc. It’s about maintaining a competitive edge amidst chaos. It’s about achieving success when the stakes are high and ever-changing. Do you know what it will take? Are you ready for the dramatic changes taking place in the New World of Work? 

It is incredibly important in today’s economy for everybody to think of himself or herself as a ‘brand.’  Over the past 10-15 years hundreds of thousands of jobs have been expunged, teams eliminated, and firms driven to extinction due to ERP, SAP, the Internet, Globalization, White-Collar Robots (EX: Cash Machines) and other factors. Blue-collar robots came and triumphed. The new target – White-Collar World. Are you prepared?

Those who will thrive and endure in the future will embrace the notion of continually developing skills, abilities and competencies that will set them apart and vividly demonstrate their value to whoever is signing their paycheck. What are you doing to stand out in today’s sea of sameness?

Individuals must be prepared to convincingly answer these critically important questions:

Who are you? What makes you distinctive in this ‘sea of sameness?’

1. How are you dramatically unique or different?
2. How do you make a significant difference, or create an astonishing overt benefit?
3. What is/are your reason/s why anyone should believe in you? Convince me!

• Arouse your understanding and commitment of what it will take to find success in the New World of Work.
• Discover how to develop and enhance your ‘desired brand’ to secure your position now and in the future.
• Learn what it will take to gain a reputation as a ‘valued’ employee.
• Understand how to find more meaning and fulfillment in your work.
• Grasp what it takes to unleash your true potential.
• Develop a team or organization that is connected, aligned and manifests your organizations brand.
• Create internal champions of transformation.
• Break through self-imposed barriers and mediocrity.

Culture, simply put, is the convergence of the way your employees think and act. That culture is producing your organization’s every result (financial, operational, customer, employee, etc.). If your future desired results are loftier, more difficult, of just different than those you are achieving today, will your current culture be able to deliver?  Most often, the results teams and organizations must achieve in the future will require employees to think and act differently. Creating those ‘shifts’ in how employees think and act is what will propel your team or organization toward those desired results. 

Your culture is your ‘brand.’  The experiences your culture creates (the manner in which your employees think and act) will either reinforce that current ‘brand’ or evoke a new one. You can either lead your culture, or it will lead you. An organization’s (or team’s) culture is either an engine propelling it toward it’s desired results, or an anchor impeding and hindering it’s progress. You can define, lead and shape your optimal culture. 

If your future desired results are loftier, more difficult, of just different than those you are achieving today, will your current culture be able to deliver?  Most often, the results teams and organizations must achieve in the future will require employees to think and act differently. Creating those ‘shifts’ in how employees think and act is what will propel your team or organization toward those desired results.

Through intentional focus on a few proven principles, you can ignite extraordinary results within your team or organization. Decades of research have pinpointed principles and practices that accelerate desired shifts in culture. These principles are not complicated—they don’t require an advanced degree or any specialized training. These straightforward, practical and memorable tips can transform your culture to support and deliver your ‘must-achieve desired results.’  The results that will ensure you survive and thrive in the new world of work.

• Learn how to create shifts in the way employees think and act so that your desired culture will flourish and heighten organizational performance.
• Understand how to identify the root cause of undesired cultural beliefs and actions, and how to infuse desired beliefs and actions.
• Discover how to gain voluntary commitments from colleagues so they self-select desired actions – Stop wasting time enforcing compliance around policies and procedures.
• Develop a culture where employees ‘bring more of themselves’ to the workplace – trigger innovation, creativity and passion.
• Create organizational laser-like focus on what matters most – eliminate confusion, misunderstanding, miscommunication, mistrust, frustration and indifference.
• Acquire principles and tools to help you clearly define and then establish your optimal culture.

Deciding upon new strategies and direction is challenging. Enlisting employees at every level to think, act and behave in a manner that assures the strategy results in success is even more difficult. Executing any strategy that requires change in human behavior may be the most difficult challenge a leader will ever face. What does it take to ensure key strategies are not slowly suffocated, but rather produce exhilarating results?

Driving a strategy that requires change in human behavior may be the most difficult challenge a leader can face. What do top leaders do to gain voluntary contributions of discretionary performance from those they lead? How do they create alignment, ownership and accountability for desired results at every level of an organization? How do they ensure that key strategies are not slowly suffocated, but instead produce extraordinary results? In this “new world of work” speed, ideas, talent and leadership separate top performing companies from the laggards. When it comes to implementation of new technologies, change efforts or critical strategies, leveraging these critical factors, as well as rapidly engaging a critical mass by creating engagement, focus, accountability and unleashing innovation and creativity is crucial to sustained impact and success.

Two out of three crucial strategies fail to produce desired outcomes. How many of your most crucial strategies over the past two or three years achieved and sustained rousing success? How many slowly suffocated over time?  Applying these principles of flawless execution will enhance your likelihood of success.

• Discover the four principles of execution that are common among strategies that achieve and sustain desired results.
• Understand the most common ‘de-railers’ of flawless execution and how to avoid them.
• Internalize a common framework and methodology to ensure your top strategies are achieved.
• Discover how to create organizational focus on critical new strategies that will ensure future success, while still maintaining peak performance on the day-to-day operations.
• Learn how to ‘deconstruct’ crucial strategies down to the individual contributor level so that all employees understand how ‘what they do’ contributes to the success of the strategy.
• Develop the ability to align, engage and enlist necessary personnel and key stakeholders.
• Spawn a culture where employees at all levels focus on actions and behaviors that will positively contribute to execution excellence.

In the past, change was episodic, transient, and gradual; now, change is constant as business, technology, and society itself continue to evolve at an ever more rapid pace.  Accelerating Change – igniting engagement, passion, ownership and creativity that is often lacking during times of change, can be accomplished using proven memorable and pragmatic principles. Learn why some organizations achieve and exceed desired results. 

Leading change has become a critical competency in today’s economy. But there is a significant and crucial difference between leading and managing change – not only in the approach, but also more importantly in the results. The success, or lack thereof, with transformational change efforts hinges on a few key principles that have been identified, studied and validated.

Nearly 75% of large-scale change efforts fail, or produce mediocre results. By implementing proven change principles that have allowed teams and organizations around the globe to accelerate and sustain desired change, you gain a competitive advantage.

Accelerated achievement of desired results can be accomplished through consistent focused attention over time on a few practical, pragmatic and memorable principles. However, it is a process and as such requires constant practice and application. The good news is these principles and skills can be learned, refined and perfected.

Intentional focus on these principles will ignite extraordinary results within your organization.  Decades of research have identified five principles and practices that propel organizations forward to blast through the common barriers, obstacles, challenges and inertia that derail most change efforts. These principles are not complicated—they don’t require an advanced degree or any specialized training

• Embrace the key change principles that are common among successful change efforts.
• Understand the critical difference between leading and managing change and the appropriate ratio required to accelerate change.
• Ignite a heightened sense of urgency, accountability, and ownership at all levels of your organization.
• Discover what it takes to move employees from compliance to commitment – jettison resistance.
• Learn how to create a ‘Want-To’ versus a ‘Have-To’ culture. A culture where change is embraced.
• Avoid the primary pitfalls and traps that sabotage most change efforts.
• Intensify agility, resilience and perseverance.

Leaders of peak performing teams and cultures understand that leveraging diversity of thought, being open to perspectives of others, open and candid communication, talking about the difficult things to see reality and offering and seeking feedback in a positive forward-looking manner are essential. No one person, no matter how well-educated, insightful or tenured, can ‘see all there is to see.’  Every human being sees the world differently. When we tap into and engage this diversity of thought it allows an organization to see more than one leader or individual can see on their own. It opens the door to more opportunities and possibilities. It allows us to better identify potential obstacles, barriers and challenges that may impede our ability to achieve what matter most.

What do top leaders do to gain these voluntary contributions of discretionary performance, thought and creativity? How do they create alignment, ownership and accountability for desired results at every level of an organization? How do they ensure that key strategies are not slowly suffocated, but instead produce extraordinary results? They embrace the abundance of ideas, talent, leadership and differentiation that exists in all organizations. 

EXAMPLE: When a group of 30 or more is given a few seconds to identify as many objects in this collage, nobody is able to identify all 30. Yet, as a group, they are able to identify all of them.  Why?  Because as human beings we are all ‘wired;’ differently. We see the world differently. When we come together and leverage that diversity, we are able to see ‘the entire reality.’ It opens us up to new possibilities and opportunities.

EXAMPLE:  50% of folks that look at this picture to the right, see a young woman. The other 50% see an old lady.  Why? We all see the world different.  If we are not open to what others ‘see’ or ‘think’ we miss out on 50% of this reality (in this example).

All individuals have natural strengths that they can bring to a team. When we embrace this fundamental teams become stronger, more creative, and perform at higher levels. It is crucial to bring out the best of what every team member has to offer. The most current research on the skills and competencies that will prevail in the New World of Work embrace all of what we have shared to this point.  Teams that are aware of this and integrate these ideas into their culture will thrive and excel in the New World or Work.

Key One:  FOCUS – Create a keen awareness of the most crucial results the team must deliver. These are the 2-3 results in addition to keeping the operation humming.  The 2-3 results that when achieved will place the team in a better position for ongoing success.

Key Two:  LEVERAGE – Leaders must draw out the diversity of thought, experiences and knowledge that exists in every organization.

Key Three:  ENGAGEMENT – Employees are most engaged in their work and contribute above and beyond when they believe they are playing a game they can win.  This is accomplished with clarity on your most critical desired results (Key 1). Cultivating a culture where diversity of thought, experiences, education and knowledge is embedded into the culture’s DNA leads to elevated levels of engagement, collaboration, teamwork, accountability and ownership.

Key Four:  ACCOUNTABILITY –By establishing processes and systems that integrate these key principles into the DNA of the organization, creates heightened levels or both personal and organizational accountability.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Ignite a heightened sense of urgency, accountability, and ownership at all levels of your organization.
• Discover what it takes to move employees from compliance to commitment – jettison resistance.
• Learn how to create a ‘Want-To’ versus a ‘Have-To’ culture. A culture where change is embraced.
• Avoid the primary pitfalls and traps that sabotage most change efforts.
• Intensify agility, resilience and perseverance.
• Foster collaboration, camaraderie and teamwork – Establish unshakable trust and credibility.
• Intensify ownership, engagement and alignment – Crumble silos and abolish territorialism.
• Instill a can-do, steely resolve, solutions focused mindset in the face of difficult challenges, obstacles and barriers.
• Arouse a sense of purpose and passion among your employees.
• Foster innovation and creativity to build and sustain a competitive advantage. 
• Discover how to craft a culture where employees go above and beyond what is ‘required.’ 
• Develop a culture where employees ‘bring more of themselves’ to the workplace – trigger innovation, creativity and passion.
• Create organizational laser-like focus on what matters most – eliminate confusion, misunderstanding, miscommunication, mistrust, frustration and indifference.
• Discover how to gain voluntary commitments from colleagues so they self-select desired actions – Stop wasting time enforcing compliance around policies and procedures.

We are in a brawl with few rules, where the fast, adaptive, and agile will expunge the slow, over-thinking, and complacent. In the past, change was episodic, transient, and gradual; now, change is constant as business, technology, and society itself continue to evolve at an unprecedented pace that will only accelerate. Talent, ideas, speed, distinction and leadership are keys to winning in the New World of Work. 

In the age of the never satisfied customer, multi-faceted global influences and complex economic challenges, there are companies and entrepreneurs (Destructive/Disruptive Competition) at this moment looking to reinvent the way your business is done. How many bookstores were wiped out because of Amazon.com? What happened to Kodak? Yellow cab? Blockbuster? Sears? Woolworth’s? Nokia? Rest assured someone somewhere is about to revolutionize your industry, your business, your department and your job.

Individuals, teams, and organizations that fail to develop a distinct ‘brand’ and separate themselves from the pack in this New World of Work will find themselves vulnerable, uncomfortable, and at the mercy of other people, events, or the competition. The white waters of change are unnerving for many. But the fact is they will only become more turbulent. For organizations and employees who are unprepared, the future will be devastating. 

Individuals, teams and organizations must be prepared to convincingly answer these critically important questions:

1. Who are you? What makes you distinctive in this ‘sea of sameness?’
2. How are you dramatically unique or different?
3. How do you make a significant difference, or create an astonishing overt benefit?
4. What is/are your reason/s why anyone should believe in you? Convince me!
   

• Learn how to lead, develop and cultivate a culture/team that is equipped to overcome the new ‘forces that are coalescing’ to dramatically alter the corporate and economic landscape.
• Discover what it takes to lead a culture/team that is aligned, resolute, engaged, agile and takes accountability and ownership to achieve what matters most.
• Embrace the proven principles that accelerate desired change and will allow you to avoid the roadblocks and barriers that often impede peak performance.
• Learn how to awaken the whatever it takes attitude, belief, resolve, perseverance, confidence, determination, drive and creativity to achieve what matters most to you, your team and your organization.
• Develop skills and understand what it takes to stand out in today’s ‘Sea of Sameness’ 
• Strengthen tenacity, resolve and agility to secure your spot in the New World of Work.
• Arouse a sense of purpose, distinction and passion among your employees.
• Build, enhance and grow your desired ‘brand’ – Organizational and Individual – to cement your spot in the New World of Work.

Discover the practices demonstrated by exemplary leaders that result in others voluntarily choosing to follow them. Leadership is a choice and can be learned, nurtured, and refined – by employees at all levels. Grasp an understanding of the most desired leadership traits employees crave from their leaders (based upon 100,000 case studies). 

Embrace memorable principles that can be put into practice immediately. Whatever the desired results you wish to achieve or challenges within your organization – employee engagement, culture change, breaking down silos, improving collaboration, raising employee morale, merging cultures, doing more with less – it is through your people that you will either succeed or fail. The manner in which your people behave is a reflection of leadership. 

How do you cultivate an environment where employees at all levels are engaged, energized and flourish? How do you effectively tap into the enormous wealth of creativity, innovation, passion, energy and commitment of employees that is often left idle? Much different than ‘job satisfaction’ (there are a lot of highly paid miserable people who are satisfied with their job) – engagement is about passionate, focused and committed employees contributing daily to help achieve what matters most.

In order to thrive, it is essential to engage, enlist and motivate employees at all levels to be all they can be. How do you engender a culture where employees at all levels define their ‘job’ as achieving our desired results, and not simply acting on what is in their ‘job description?’

“Leaders are born…not made!” How many of us have heard this often repeated myth? The truth however, is far different. Exemplary leadership is the result of consistent action, and focus over time on a few simple principles. It is a process. It involves practices, skills, and abilities; and they are not for the chosen few. They can be learned, refined and perfected. 

Decades of research have identified a few key attributes that are the foundation for success of the most effective leaders. These traits are not complicated—they don’t require an advanced degree or any specialized training. They are straightforward, practical and will significantly and directly impact organizational performance. 

By exhibiting these five leadership attributes, you can ignite extraordinary performance and results within your organization.

• Acquire proven tools, models and principles to heighten and refine your untapped leadership potential.
• Learn the five best practices demonstrated by exemplary leaders and how you can apply them. 
• Discover the key elements of communicating a vision that lead to increased levels of commitment, engagement and accountability. 
• Understand what it takes to cultivate a culture where employees ‘bring more of themselves’ to the workplace – where they are engaged, energized and flourish.
• Embrace memorable principles that move employees from compliance to commitment.
• Learn to influence, transform and achieve any change that is most important to you, your team, or your organization.
• Discover what it takes to influence and inspire others – with or without positional authority.
• Vanquish any existing degrees of the ‘us’ versus ‘them’ mindset.