Leaders Build a Culture of Accountability

The job has to be done.
That’s why people are employed.
That why there are duty statements.
That’s why positions can be referred to as ‘manager’.

Managers have objectives. They need all the team members to perform in a way that the objectives are met on time and hopefully on budget.
Or there’ll be consequences.

To meet objectives manages often ’micromanage’.

Of course, at the simplest level, this can involve telling the team member how to do the task, invariably it means regularly checking on progress. Implied in failure to meet the objectives, can be a threat of some sort, perhaps even limiting their career growth.

For leaders, a far more effective and indeed simpler approach, is to build a culture of accountability.

Building this culture in the first instance is directly related to the First Practice of The Leadership Challenge: Model the Way. The leader has to do what he says he will do. Every time.

As the recipients or beneficiaries of this behavior, team members will most likely adopt this modeled behavior.

Likely, they will recognize that by always being accountable for what he says he will do, the leader is building credibility and trust among the team members.

They will then will emulate this behavior.

Leaders can also set the ground rules. Here’s is a simple way this can be done:

“Ahmed, I have a task that needs to be done in the next three days. Here are the requirements, this is the outcome I want and I need to have it done by 10 o’clock on Wednesday morning.”

The leader then describes the requirements.
“I know that if you have any problems in meeting this time-frame that you’ll come and talk to me about it won’t you?”
“I also know that if you have any questions along the way you’ll come talk to me about it won’t you?”

Likely, the team member will say ‘yes’ to each of these questions.
“And along the way, I’m not gonna be checking in on you because I expect that you’ll be fully capable of meeting both of these two criteria and that you’ll deliver it to me on time and in the best way it can be done. Is that OK?”

The leader makes it very clear that he’s not going to micromanage.

Of course, if the team member doesn’t deliver on these, the leader will likely say:
“Ahmed. I think we need to talk. And you can perhaps explain to me why you didn’t do what you agreed you would do.”

The leader could, in the discussion, say “ Ahmed, you let me down. I trusted you.”

Of course, when Ahmed does complete the task in the time desired, and does a great job, the leader, most likely in front of the other team members, will say:
” Great job Ahmed. I thought this was going to push you beyond what you thought you could do. And you did it well and on time, Thank you. Well done.”

Leaders never miss out on The Fifth Practice of Exemplary Leadership : Encourage the Heart.

When hearing this, the other team members will know they will be treated this way also when they have proven their accountability.

And we know trust goes both ways.

Not one syllable of micromanagement in place.