On a recent trip to San Diego I was involved with a group of 25 people. We were at the beach in front of the Del Coronado Hotel and decided to eat lunch there together. The restaurant we wanted to eat at was full but the restaurant right next door had a long table already set up and it was on the patio right adjacent to the patio of the operating restaurant.
We spoke to the manager, Claude. Claude wanted to serve us. I’m sure he realized that an extra 25 people during his lunch period would make his daily numbers look great! He expressed concern over being able to give us the outstanding service they were known for and at the same time not diminish the service to those patrons already in the restaurant. After checking with his staff Claude decided that he would be able to accommodate us.
Claude was fully aware of his strategic intent, to provide exceptional service and a positive dining experience to the guests that entered his restaurant. Claude also had a strategic intent based around volume and productivity. By being fully aware of his strategic intents and by making sure that one didn’t suffer because of the other, Claude was able to optimize his performance.
Do you take the time to determine your strategic intent? Do you ever let one goal get in the way of achieving something else you are committed to? Being accountable means assuring that your behaviors are congruent with your values. When we let a success in one area take away from another, it may be that we are not being accountable to the big picture and fall prey to short term gains.
Take the time to determine your strategic intent. Create your “right things” or tactical activities that, when performed consistently, will lead you to the achievement of your goals. By engaging in these activities you are showing a high level of accountability to your strategic intent.
