Use ‘CPR’ in your accountability conversations for a healthier business

You want to run a healthy business where you and your team are happy, enjoy coming to work and thrive…

However, you must also run a profitable business where your team work hard, push themselves and are accountable for the work they do, and the deadlines set…

When your accountability conversation is a well-structured, constructive conversation that focuses on the RIGHT issue then both parties will come out of it with a sense of accomplishment.

In their book ‘Crucial Conversations’ the authors (Kerry Patterson et al) suggest a few tools to help you choose the right issue to focus on in your accountability conversations.

Think about the person’s behaviour and use ‘CPR’ to help isolate the right issue for discussion.

This acronym stands for Content, Pattern and Relationship

Content – what just happened

For example – why did you lose your temper in that meeting with the clients – you were too loud and started talking over them, it was embarrassing

Pattern – it’s a repeating pattern that is the biggest issue

For example - I have noticed this has happened before in other meetings, both internal and external, you cannot control your temper

Relationship – This concern is far bigger than content or pattern – as it causes a loss of trust

For example – you used to be the person I could trust in client meeting, now I am not so sure. This is putting a strain on the relationships we build and our relationship too.

Having unbundled all the issues, you can then begin the focus on the one that really matters, on the intentions and the consequences.