Ownership. Accountability. Responsibility.
Blame. Excuses. Denial.
Which side of the line do you live on?
The acronym O.A.R.B.E.D is one that MHCO has striven to live by for a number of years now. For within it are very important reminders for how each and every one of us should try and shape our actions.
But why is O.A.R.B.E.D so important to us?
A business thrives on a strong team, and we believe team and client relationships are massively important to success. The quality a business provides is essential, but more and more people are looking for more than just that.
Just as employees are looking for more than just a job in a field that interests them – for millennials, it is now the workplace environment that means the most to them.
So how do you create a strong team that works and plays well together? How do you create relationships with your clients that they can put their trust in?
By always making sure that everyone lives above the line. That we all pick up the oar to guide our way, and acknowledge how important the above attributes are.
For O.A.R.B.E.D is more than just another catch phrase to quote for a while, and then forget once its novelty dies down. It is a way to guide our actions, to ensure that we don’t slip below the line every day.
So how do we make sure that we use O.A.R.B.E.D?
By understanding it, by looking at our own behaviours, and recognising whether they embody above the line traits, or slipping below it instead.
Ownership. Accountability. Responsibility.
If a job is given to you, rise up to meet it, and take ownership of it entirely. Work hard on it, and strive to do your best on it.
By making yourself accountable for the quality of the work produced, you become invested in the job. You challenge yourself, and hold yourself responsible for the end product.
The hard part of this is acknowledging that where things go wrong, this also falls on you. But it is this awareness that will cause you to strive harder in order to avoid failure.
It is not easy to clasp hold of the oar and take full responsibility of where the boat goes. But whether team member or client, you will earn respect from those around you, as well as encouraging them to do the same.
Blame. Excuses. Denial.
Three simple words that have a very large impact. Any time behaviour slips towards them, trust and respect is lost, eating away at the relationships that have been built up.
Passing blame, always having an excuse on hand, or just straight denial, is all a way of shifting responsibility to someone else. And in a team this can easily shatter goodwill and break the team apart.
As for clients? It won’t be long till they are looking to go elsewhere. Where they can get what they need, along with honest, upfront communication with people they can rely on.
Focusing on personal growth
Over all, O.A.R.B.E.D reminds us to look inwards, at our own actions, rather than outwards at everyone else’s. And that is one of the reasons we like it so much.
We don’t want to spend time focusing on what other people do, or trying to pull them down just to make ourselves shine a little bit brighter.
We’d rather remain focused on bettering ourselves, and our business. To acknowledge where we may have weaknesses, and work to fix them.
Living above the line means all round positivity, growth, and happiness.
Don’t you want to join us there?
Thanks, the MHCO team