The Power of Personal Accountability in the Contract Furniture World
In the fast-paced world of contract furnishings, where deadlines, budgets, and client expectations are always top of mind, personal accountability serves as the “secret sauce” that makes everything work seamlessly.
One of our four core values at Smarter Furnishings, we’re committed to embodying personal accountability in everything we do.
Holding ourselves accountable on every project.
After 30 years of serving the student housing market, we understand what our customers want: quality furniture that fits their unique spaces and stress-free service from the initial quote to final installation. We believe providing this level of products and services stems from our team’s ability to take personal ownership over every project.
In fact, when we asked select members of our team how they exhibit personal accountability in their own lives and how they spot it in others, they had a lot to share about the topic…
The “Humble Factor”
Our team agrees: Personal accountability isn’t just about taking responsibility for your actions; it’s about embracing the “humble factor.” In other words, it’s about putting yourself aside and working with others for the betterment of all involved, not just our company or our clients’ organizations.
To truly embrace personal accountability, you must believe that no job is beneath you, valuing each task on a personal level, and being ready to accept responsibility for both the good and the bad (and we all know both are part of life).
Accountability Begins from Within
Personal accountability begins at the core of who you are as a person. Marketing Coordinator, Zaneta Daigle shares that, “our hiring process is meticulous because we know if someone doesn’t value personal accountability in their personal life and relationships, it will reflect in their performance at work. We look for individuals who care deeply about others and exhibit that ‘humble factor’ when dealing with customers, suppliers, and people in general.”
Team Players are Essential
Partner/CEO Johnny Collins believes “a successful team starts with the kind of people Patrick Lencioni describes in his book The Ideal Team Player: Humble, Hungry and Smart. Those who display humility at work make it their mission to help other people achieve their goals. Those who are hungry for success go above and beyond to drive their team and projects forward. And those who are smart team players rely on more than their mental intelligence (aka ‘book smarts’); they’re also able to tap into emotional intelligence by listening attentively and working to understand others.
At Smarter Furnishings, we expect everyone to be team players and lend a helping hand to get the job done when needed. That means no complaints, no putting a task off until later, and no passing it off if the person has the means to do it right then and there.”
Attention to Detail Keeps Us Accountable
Another thing our team can collectively agree on? The importance of attention to detail as a means of taking accountability on projects.
In our world, it’s the little things that give the overall sense of personal accountability in a partnership; following up promptly, delivering on promises, and always striving to do better. These seemingly small actions help build trust and reinforces our commitment to personal accountability when working with customers.
What we’re trying to say is: Personal accountability isn’t just a buzzword for us; it’s a way of life that translates to every aspect of how we work. By prioritizing ethical and responsible decision-making (even when it means making tough choices), our commitment to this core value shines in every interaction we have with our customers, suppliers, and colleagues.
In everything we do for our customers and each other, personal accountability is not just an option, it’s a foundation for continued excellence.
Get to know us even better!
To learn more about what personal accountability means to our team (and why it’s so important in our personal and professional relationships), head to our LinkedIn or Facebook pages. Just make sure to follow along — more insight into our core values is coming your way soon!