Embedding Accountability: Insights from Yarno’s Lachy Gray
In the latest episode of our Find Grow Keep podcast series, I dive into a conversation with Lachy Gray, the co-founder and managing director of Yarno, a team-based microlearning platform.
We delve into the practicalities of embedding accountability within an organisation, a cornerstone of employee retention and productivity.
Role Clarity and Accountability: The Yarno Way
One of the fundamental aspects discussed is role clarity, a key to ensuring accountability within a team. Yarno employs an innovative approach by using ‘job scorecards’ — an enhanced version of job descriptions, reviewed annually for accuracy and clarity. This tool not only defines clear expectations but also maintains the human element often missing in corporate settings. Lachy highlights the emphasis on high performance and the importance of being relatable and engaging.
“Clarity comes through clear expectations. We employ ‘job scorecards’, not just as a tool for clarity, but as a commitment to our team’s high performance.”
Feedback: A Cornerstone for Growth
Feedback is a critical element in learning and development. Lachy shares his journey of transforming feedback from a dreaded task into an integral part of Yarno’s culture through the ‘Courageous Feedback’ framework.
“Feedback is critical to growth. At Yarno, we’ve turned feedback into a continuous dialogue, embedding it into our culture as a tool for personal and professional development.”
This approach encourages specificity, removing emotional bias and focusing on factual, actionable insights. By institutionalising feedback, Yarno has created an environment where giving and receiving feedback becomes a natural, ongoing process rather than a formalised, infrequent event.
Decision-Making: Empowering Through Collaboration
Yarno’s culture fosters collaboration and empowerment, exemplified by their ‘decision template’ process. This tool allows any team member to propose changes, encouraging a deep level of involvement and ownership. Such practices ensure that decisions are well-thought-out, considering various perspectives, thereby enhancing the quality and effectiveness of outcomes.
Remote Work and Cultural Integrity
In a remote working environment, maintaining cultural integrity and open communication becomes challenging. Yarno addresses these challenges by ensuring transparency and accessibility of information, such as making job scorecards available to all team members via an online platform. This openness not only aids in clarity but also promotes a culture of trust and inclusiveness.
Ongoing Commitment to Feedback and Improvement
The practice of feedback at Yarno is not a one-off activity but an ongoing commitment. The company dedicates time each month to roleplay feedback scenarios, ensuring continuous learning and improvement. This practice not only keeps feedback at the forefront of everyone’s mind but also helps in normalising it within everyday communication, both professionally and personally.
Key Takeaways for Business Owners
Lachy’s experiences and practices at Yarno offer valuable insights for business owners aiming to cultivate a healthy and accountable culture. Leading by example, consistently demonstrating desired behaviours, and actively encouraging team involvement are crucial steps towards building a thriving workplace. His advice underscores the importance of intentionality in leadership actions to foster an environment where feedback and improvement are not just accepted but welcomed.
The core message is clear: a culture of accountability, combined with clear communication and genuine feedback, lays the foundation for a successful and thriving business.
Ready to get started? Download our free and comprehensive guide to building a culture of accountability — Click here to get your copy!
