Accountability

Holding others accountable to do what they committed to doing is a common frustration that comes up with my clients. Whether it's members of their team, or a cross functional team, or sometimes themselves; creating a culture of accountability is challenging. The justifications for not following through on commitments are many: competing priorities, good intentions, lack of planning, procrastination, unclear expectations, constant changes, cultural norms, poor communication....just to name a few.

This is a complicated issue because the people you lead are all different in terms of what motivates them, their natural talents, strengths and preferences. As a leader, you can focus on your part in supporting others to deliver to commitments. One approach is to ensure your communications and expectations are crystal clear and allow others to explain to you how they will ensure they deliver their commitment to you.

When I first started working, I was put through the ropes on writing business communications and recommendations, and I remember to this day to clarify every time: What? Where? When? Why? How? and Who?

When you are in meetings with others make sure you ask these questions about next steps before you end the meeting:
What exactly will you go do?
Where do you want me to be involved?
When will you complete it by?
Why is this important (for you, for me, for the organization)?
How will you approach it, and how will you ensure you get it done?
Who needs to be involved and when do you need to involve them?

Finally, set dates in calendars; ensure there is enough time, and as the leader be careful not to pile on more priorities that might get in the way. If you are able to delegate, still take an interest and acknowledge progress.