Accountability

Within the four pillars of leadership, accountability is more science-based than the other three, which are more of an art.? We manage activity, work, and projects. We lead people.????

Holding others accountable is essential to getting things done. Efficacy in trust, emotional intelligence, and coaching isn’t enough to make progress and eventually win. Without setting appropriate goals, creating deadlines, and supporting people on their journey, you might have a great culture full of great followers who go nowhere.??

If you look inside the word accountability, you’ll see the word 'count.'? To count, you need at least two numbers.? The formula for accountability is straightforward: From X (current state or today) to Y (desired state or goal) by Z (due date or deadline).

The first variable is the starting point (a.k.a. the current state or today), which represents the follower's current performance state and can be an output metric, a particular behavior, a project milestone, or the like.??

Next, a desired state or goal is needed.? This desired state must align across the follower, the leader, and the company.? A win-win-win outcome is not only possible but necessary.? Without alignment, things tend to get wobbly.??

The final variable represents a date.? This is the deadline and measures the time required to complete the work.?

Holding others accountable is a required, black-and-white, paint-by-numbers, no-discretion-needed management skill.??

Now, let’s move on to the how-to part of accountability from a leader’s point of view.? There are three steps required to execute accountability.? First, clear expectations are set.? Then, supporting people all along the way to the deadline.? Third, follow up to determine the progress/execution.??

Step 1:? Setting Clear Expectations

Clarity is the greatest motivator, which means ambiguity is the greatest demotivator. People become excited and eager when they know exactly where they are, where they are going, and how to get there.?

It is the leader's job to create clarity. Creating absolute clarity is so much more difficult than it sounds. It can be exhausting to diagnose precisely where we are and decide exactly where we are going. The most time-consuming part of holding others accountable is providing detailed instructions on how things need to get done. In addition to the calorie burn required, lots of patience and persistence are also necessary to provide an effective amount of clarity.??

So, how do you set clear expectations and provide clarity as a leader? Answering the following questions is critical.?

First, do leaders and followers agree on the starting point? A common mistake is assuming both parties agree on this. Where precisely are we?? Do we agree that this current level of skill or capacity is satisfactory?? Do we agree on how we got to this starting spot? It's difficult to properly manage the gap between start and finish when the start line is blurry. Without absolute clarity on the starting line, both parties will be paralyzed, and limited progress will be made.

Next, do we agree on where we’re going?? This is the desired state or the goal.? Do we agree that the goal(s) is achievable?? Do we agree that the timeline for completing the required tasks is doable? Setting goals is a little more art than science. One of the best definitions of leadership comes from Colin Powell, ‘Leadership is the art of getting people to do more than the science of management says is possible’.? While the formula for accountability is empirical, data-driven science, it requires an artist to decide what is achievable and, simultaneously, what stretches people beyond their comfort zone and their perception of what is possible.??

The final part of providing clarity is defining specifically what needs to be done to win. Do we agree on what must happen to hit the goal before the deadline? Do we agree on the strategy or ‘the how’ we get there?? Do we agree on the attitudes and behaviors required to win?? Do we agree on each of our roles and responsibilities within this plan?? Most importantly, do we agree on why these goals even matter???

Too often, so-called leaders say, “Here ya go… let me know if you need anything… good luck.”? That is hoping for the desired outcome.? Hope is good when relegated to things we can't control.? Everything else in life is a choice.??

In addition to energy, leaders must have empathy and remember what it was like when they were in the followers' shoes.? If a leader has lost touch with this feeling, they should try to learn something new and be reminded of the difficulty of mastering a new craft.??

Sometimes, when we are certain we are being clear, we are not.? When my youngest son was 8, I coached his baseball team. I wasn't getting the most out of our first baseman and couldn't figure out why he wasn't applying my coaching. For instance, I would ask him to "hustle," and he would just continue to stroll everywhere while looking at me as if I were crazy to suggest he jog or sprint.?

It wasn't until his Dad shared that after watching ESPN's SportsCenter and hearing the commentators use the word 'hustle', he asked what it meant. I thought I was being 100% clear and that he was indifferent to the instruction.?

I provided real and absolute clarity once I realized he wasn't aware of what hustle meant. And he went from being a good player to being a great player -- helping us win the city championship that year.

Creating Ownership?

In addition to providing clarity, a leader must create ownership among followers so they can get to the desired end state. A good plan well executed is better than a great plan poorly executed.? Next-level leaders 'negotiate' with followers on goals, deadlines, and plans/strategies to create buy-in.? A leader creates ownership or buy-in when considering followers' opinions, ideas, and thoughts.

This negotiation isn't meant to be some 'let's evenly split the difference' deal.? The goals and plans must make sense for both parties.? The negotiation should lead to a better goal not because of the goal itself but because of the buy-in and ownership created.??

When there is ownership, more creativity and discretionary effort are applied, not to mention fewer excuses made later. Alternatively, when managers dictate goals and strategies, innovation and the drive to see things through to completion vanish. While this autocratic management style may be more efficient, it is far from effective. Those who choose saving time over creating ownership will lose. Besides, to be an effective dictator requires knowing everything, and that's precisely why there has never been one.?

Finally, an essential component of providing absolute clarity requires everyone to know where the finish line is and the timeframe to get there. Managers' “Get this done ASAP” statements are ambiguous, demotivating, and a breeding ground for excuses. Next-level leaders paint an HD picture of what winning looks like and should include the benefits to followers.??

Being absolutely clear is hard work and absolutely necessary to win.??

Step 2:? Support?

Step two is the easy part relative to steps one and three. Most of the work of supporting others involves observing and checking in with followers to see where they are stuck or bogged down and then providing coaching and removing the blockers.??

Followers need lots of encouragement as they set out into new territory.? Praise for small victories and saying 'thank you' are critical to success.? Be honest, and don't say things that aren’t deserved.? People know when it's not sincere and that pity isn’t good for anyone because you will reinforce less-than-effective behaviors.??

If you are looking for progress, you can usually find it.? When you see it, please share it.??

Praise moves people.

Praise reinforces the desired behaviors and outcomes.

Praise is free and, therefore, adds tons of value.

Mentally, getting people on the other side of the new, daunting learning curve requires finding quick wins along the way to the more significant end goal. It is a leader's job to point out these milestone victories.?

Unfortunately, weak leaders will withhold praise and thank yous. It could be pride, ego, or perhaps mimicking their own experience. A great example is when you hear, 'I am not patting them on the back for doing their job; that's why we pay them.'? This attitude is short-sighted, and so, so wrong!??

Painting an HD-quality vision by reminding them of the 'why' will further motivate followers. For those developing software or products, vision is about predicting and inventing stuff that benefits customers. When leading people, vision is about seeing farther into the future than the average person. When leaders can communicate and describe where we are going and the benefits of that desired state, followers are driven to fight through doubts and worry.??

Another necessary part of supporting others is coaching. Coaching is so essential to effective leadership that it's one of the four pillars of leadership. Stay tuned for an article dedicated to coaching that I will share soon.????

Step 3:? Follow-Up?

To hold others accountable, there must be a meeting where a little math is done. For leaders, the follow-up meeting with followers is the most critical meeting in any week. Set these meetings with care and ensure they occur every time.?

When a deadline is established and later ignored or discounted by leadership, it signals to followers that deadlines are unimportant. This behavior by leaders enables followers to care less about the finish line the next time. The ripple effects are staggering, and correcting the damage is daunting. If deadlines matter, follow-up happens.?

Diagnosing??

The objective of the follow-up meeting is to review whether goals were accomplished since being reset at the last One-On-One (O3). Whether we hit the mark (or did not) is pretty simple, provided we established clear goals.??

The more complex part of the interaction is coming up with the correct diagnosis of why we hit or didn’t. Facts, data, and lots and lots of questions are required to get through the fog and into the clear. The leader's prescription to remedy or improve could be ineffective or harmful without the proper diagnosis.??

Many so-called leaders will assume that their followers are just lazy.? Ironically, this approach by managers is lazy itself.? If leaders take the time to dig in, they might find that most of the time, what comes across as someone in sloth mode is actually an unclear direction.? People who don't know exactly what to do are paralyzed because they are lost.??

Accountability Meetings

O3 meetings between the leader and follower are the best time to diagnose and provide coaching.? The cadence should be weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, depending on the role, track record, recent trends, and experience level.??

The agenda for the follow-up meeting is a simple set of 'game filming' questions.?

1.? ? What did we agree would happen??

2.? ? What actually happened? Do we agree???

3A.? How did you accomplish this?? Do we agree???

or?

3B.? Why didn't we hit our commitments?? Do we agree???

4.? ? What did we learn

5.? ? What will we change in our approach???

6.? ? What are our new goals/commitments???

In addition to regular O3s, weekly team meetings are another must. Monday mornings are the best time and act as accountability periods' start/finish line.? The same game filming questions are used, except team results trump individual results.? To calculate team results, individuals share their contributions.? When team members verbally share results and future commitments with their teammates, commitment and work ethic increase.

Of course, the more close-knit the team, the better the pressure to execute, and it’s the responsibility of the leader to create a team atmosphere.? One tool that will help is a simple team scoreboard.? If there are other teams to compete against, even better. ? If one person on the team is indifferent to the scoreboard, you may have the wrong person.? There is likely a leadership issue if several don’t care about the results.??

With a team scoreboard, the collateral benefit of team meetings is the peer pressure that is created. In addition to the competition amongst peers, good teammates don’t want to be the one reason the team missed their goal. This process also relieves the leader from being the sole motivator.??

Pressure is a good thing and 100% necessary to obtain deep focus and innovation.? In this context, pressure requires people to have attainable goals where they can control the outcome.?

On the other hand, stress is bad and should be removed by leaders.? Stress creates mistakes and wears on people’s health.? Stress happens when people worry about things they cannot control.? As leaders, part of our responsibility is to remove blockers for followers, including limiting the stress in people’s work lives.??

When used in tandem with team meetings, O3s become a midpoint to check in on progress, offer coaching, remove obstacles, adjust the plans, and discuss the predicted outcome. This provides a preview of the next period’s goals.?

Cadence of Follow-Up Meetings?

An accounting period is the amount of time that passes between these meetings.? Daily check-ins for new hires are necessary.? After 2-3 months, stretch that interaction to twice per week.? After ~ 6 months, maybe it can go to once a week.? The recommended cadence for more tenured followers performing is once every other week. This two-week accounting period is fluid, and in the end, leaders must use discernment to establish and change the cadence.??

Underperformers, regardless of experience, should have their accountability period reduced so there is less time for the work to be completed. For example, if a follower struggles with managing the workload over a week, move to twice a week between follow-up meetings. If that doesn't work, go to daily check-ins. Then maybe twice daily.??

At some point, leaders must decide if the time and energy necessary to manage underperforming followers are sustainable, especially when it endangers the rest of the team. Due to the amount of management time the underperformer requires, leaders can put the team in harm's way by neglecting everyone else.???

Yet another way this harms the team is when underperformers are allowed to exist for extended time periods.? This sends a clear message to everyone about what is acceptable.? These kinds of decisions by leaders are where the science stops and the subjective artwork begins.? Leaders can create an environment of underperformance when they don’t manage perennial laggards off the team.??

Conversely, repeat winners might be given more time between set goals and follow-up. If the one-week accounting period has proven effective, consider going twice monthly. If that works well over time, change it to monthly. An accountability period longer than a month typically doesn't work. A two-week maximum between follow-up meetings is best for those leading sales reps.??

Notably, one thing leaders shouldn't do is follow up prematurely.? If a deadline was agreed to, leaders need to respect that deadline. Asking, 'Are we there yet?' is annoying.? If leaders expect followers to keep their commitments, they should also keep theirs and not violate the agreed-upon deadlines prematurely.??

Micromanagement?

In addition to shortening the accounting period for struggling followers, leaders must become more granular in what they observe, track, and manage.? This is called micro-management, and most people hate it.? While this term has a negative connotation, it is required when people struggle.? Most people desire the freedom and respect extended in a macro-management ethos. Leaders must decide what the appropriate level of micro to macro management is, and it should always be decided and practiced on a person-by-person basis.??

For sales reps, breaking up the work into more digestible pieces means using more granular Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to hold people accountable.

For example, instead of measuring revenue sold (at the bottom of the sales funnel), leaders will move up the funnel and hold people accountable for phone calls, meetings, digital outreach, or some other micrometric.

Pick the 1-3 KPIs closest to revenue as the goals people are held accountable to and move to a more granular KPI when needed. The fewer goals to set, track, and follow up on, the better the odds of winning.

Leaders should constantly monitor these more granular KPIs. ALWAYS. They relay exactly how people are doing and project sales into the future.? But just because they are tracked doesn’t mean they have to be THE goals.??

The 2 C’s of Accountability

In addition to these three essential steps leaders should follow regarding accountability, I would like to highlight the two C's to remember regarding the execution of accountability and follow-up.?

Again, if you look at the word accountability, you’ll see two ‘C’s together, which stand for Curiosity and Courage. Leaders should approach accountability and follow up with curiosity and courage.??

Curiosity

Curiosity is about understanding what happened, why, and what might work better. When leaders approach underperformance with the intent of helping solve the blockers, any anxiety related to confrontation will vanish.? As previously stated, the key to the correct diagnosis is data, facts, and answers from followers to the many questions an effective leader comes to these meetings prepared with.??

Courage

Having the courage to speak the truth is a necessary part of being a leader, but being a jerk isn’t.? Being bold enough to confront problems with the intent to help solve them will also create a more accurate diagnosis because people will be more transparent.? Followers will appreciate leaders digging into the details and helping discover ways to make work more doable and more enjoyable.??

Things go much more smoothly when leaders attack the problem rather than personally attacking the follower. Followers should never feel like they are being judged. Judging the work is okay and, in fact, is necessary to win.???

It is selfish not to share the truth with people because it creates an uncomfortable feeling for the leader. Underperformers must be told the complete truth about their performance. Having the courage to speak the truth is a necessary part of being a leader.??

When to Quit

The $100,000 question is always, when do I let the underperformer go?? There is a saying that goes, 'Slow to hire, quick to fire.'? This is terrible advice.? TERRIBLE!? If you did your job and hired a good candidate, the underperforming person deserves every ounce of your ability to get them on track.? They took a job with you, likely quitting a job elsewhere.? To say, 'Oh well, we tried, you’re fired, next up', is expensive and just flat-out inhumane.??

If the leader has reduced the accounting period and chunked the work down to more digestible pieces (aka more granular KPIs) and the person is making progress, congrats.? Stay with that.? Progress is the key.?

When the follower stops making progress, it's likely time to allow this person to find work for which they are more suited.? When leaders can look at themselves in the mirror and honestly say to themselves that they have exhausted all avenues of making this person better, it’s time.??

This doesn’t remove the art of providing people grace as a good solution.? People are going to stumble.? Life happens, and when proven followers are going through a challenging period, providing a reasonable time to get back on track is the right thing to do.? When other team members see grace extended to those who need and deserve it, they trust that if things go bad for them, the leader will also have their back.? This creates enormous amounts of trust.

Wrap Up

Accountability is an important pillar of leadership because without it, there is little forward progress. Leaders can play a significant role in increasing that forward progress by following a formula that involves three very important steps: setting clear expectations, providing support, and conducting follow-up meetings.

Accountability as a leader requires a strong sense of curiosity and courage. If you do these things, you’ll prosper as a leader and enjoy managing goals.

The most rewarding and fulfilling part of being a leader is taking followers to a desired state that others thought was impossible.

Do you have any accountability advice or insight to share? I’d love to hear it.?