February 22, 2018
To achieve top C-Store performance accountability trust must be strong. In order to operate remote stores well, there must be a level of trust. This trust must be bi-directional. Employees must believe they will have the resources they need for success and HQ staff need remote operations to perform as required. That is why many accountability coaches say ‘Trust or Bust’. Trust is required by everyone in the organization.
C-Store Performance Accountability – Trust or Bust
Many argue the concept of accountability is the polar opposite of trust. They argue that measuring and verifying performance shows just how little trust there is in the people doing their work. That is, you either get trust or you do not get the desired accountability. Hence, it’s Trust or Bust. Managers and leaders often start to establish trust before they try to make changes or improve operations.
Learning from Sam Walton
Bill Scott, loves the concept of trust in a C-Store Operation. In his book ‘Retail is Detail’, he describes the practice of Sam Walton in his stores as the key ingredient to successful operations. ‘Sharing in a sense of ownership within an environment of trust and respect are key elements necessary for the success of any group, organization, small shop… even Fortune 100 companies.’ He explains that any large organization requires the efforts of many. With a sense of trust, there is an understanding and belief that good results help both the company and the staff.
In a trustworthy environment – when there is an atmosphere of trust – it is safe to tell the truth. When truth is desired, then getting the facts is helpful and never harmful. Many times, people get confused and think bad facts should not be provided. They think that they may be perceived as having a bad attitude. However, not knowing the facts is and hiding information is much more harmful.
Facts Are Facts – Deal with Them and Build Trust
If the facts show good results, we can find best practices. If the facts are bad we can find ways to improve things. Perhaps one great definition of ‘accountability trust’ is the willingness to measure and score results accurately. That is, there is no desire to fix the numbers. The numbers are trusted as the team trusts each other. If things are bad, they will get the needed attention so that the results can be improved.
For more information on C-Store Performance – Accountability
You may also want to read about our blog on C-Store Accountability- Does It Have To Be So Mean?