Redundant systems and a co-pilot who can take over if the pilot suddenly becomes ill have made commercial flight safe and efficient. Long-haul flights even carry a second crew, ensuring there are enough qualified people to do the job of flying no matter what occurs. Sports teams also have redundant people as they plan for inevitable injuries and fatigue by having a second and even third string of players ready to take the field at a moment’s notice.

These types of redundancies are often lacking in businesses of all sizes, making them vulnerable when life happens — illness, attrition, death, and childbirth, just to a name a few. A variety of excuses justify this lack of preparedness, such as affordability, practicality, and even denial that this will ever be an issue. When done right, being ready delivers ROI many times any cost, which is often very little or nothing at all.

Role redundancy ensures that critical tasks and vital roles are fully and competently covered, no matter what. Organizations engaging in this Radical Accountability best practice suffer zero downtime or loss of production when an employee is out. People who have been prepared to serve as “co-pilots” on important tasks and functions are happier and more well-rounded employees who are more likely to stay with the company longer given how the company is investing in their development.

This Week’s Radical Accountability Activating Action: Make your goal to have critical task redundancy by year-end and complete role redundancy be the end of next year. Create tasks and milestones with due dates now to ensure this happens on time.

(Take No Prisoners is a free weekly memo from Scott Wintrip that explores how Radical Accountability prospers companies and changes lives. Instead of taking people hostage with outdated, heavy-handed, and ineffective methods of management, measurement, and motivation, Radical Accountability focuses on creating an unwavering responsibility for getting what matters most done.)

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