Chapter 1: Understanding Accountability in Leadership

Have you ever considered the significance of accountability within a business context?

Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

When you oversee a business, department, or team, do you ensure that your employees are held accountable for their responsibilities?

In the late 90s, I stepped into my first genuine leadership role, managing profit and loss (P&L). With extensive experience in manufacturing, I was confident in my ability to lead a division, and my supervisor believed I was ready as well. I relocated my family, arrived on a Monday morning, and introduced myself as the new Vice President and General Manager of the division without any corporate ceremony or entourage.

At that time, the division employed 100 people and was projected to generate $10 million in sales for the year. The company had recently acquired this division, and my role was to manage its operations, foster growth, and ensure profitability. The previous owners had a diverse product range and were not particularly focused on the manufacturing aspect's profitability, as their lucrative rental business was thriving.

My primary task was to evaluate whether the manufacturing division could stand alone and contribute positively to the overall company’s bottom line. I was thrilled about the opportunity to operate my manufacturing facility, grow in my role, and demonstrate my capability to handle larger projects in the future. The parent corporation was expanding rapidly, creating numerous opportunities.

I managed the division for just over two years, and the experience was both enlightening and humbling. The division was struggling financially, lacking effective systems to accurately track income and expenses specific to manufacturing. This was surprising to me.

I immersed myself in understanding the financials of the entire operation and soon realized that while it wasn't profitable, there was potential for improvement with some adjustments. I was determined to streamline processes and make the division successful.

Eventually, we achieved profitability, although not to the extent desired by the parent company. Shortly after, I was promoted to a different role, and the entire corporation was sold.

Reflecting on that experience, I recognize it laid the groundwork for my future venture as an owner of a manufacturing company. However, one area I wish I had focused on more was my team. Initially, I operated under the misconception that I had to single-handedly solve every issue. It was my responsibility to manage the division, and I felt compelled to know and do everything.

I became overly fixated on understanding every aspect of the operation, tackling most of the challenges myself. Looking back, I realize that many employees were content to pass their problem-solving duties onto me. While they followed the daily tasks assigned to them, I was the one making most decisions, effectively becoming a micromanager.

I worked long hours—70 to 80 each week—and often spent Saturdays and many Sundays addressing division challenges. This was undoubtedly a valuable learning experience, and at that time, I had the energy to manage it all.

After years of reflection and eventually acquiring my own company, I've concluded that fostering collaboration, delegating responsibilities, and holding team members accountable leads to a more fulfilling work environment for everyone involved.

I plan to write more articles to guide others in avoiding similar mistakes. Through conversations with numerous business owners, I’ve discovered that many share similar experiences and struggle with making changes.

I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section. Thank you for taking the time to read this article.

If you're new to Medium, follow this link to join. Your membership supports a community of experts on this platform.

Chapter 2: The Path to Effective Leadership