How to Make your Team More Accountable

Periodically, a frustrated CEO will ask me, “How can I make my team more accountable?”

Here’s an easy, seven-point checklist to help any leader get more of what they need from their employees.

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Building a culture of accountability is an exercise in effective communication.

You can’t blame your workers if they come short of expectations on an assignment due to weak up-front direction. As a leader, that’s on you.

In your role as a leader and manager, you must create clarity and set the tone.

Your job is to ensure that employees understand these seven things:

Establish Clarity: Accountability Checklist

1) What needs to be done?

In a fast paced company, upcoming tasks and priorities may not be obvious to all employees.

Take the time to articulate your needs clearly to them. Keep it simple. Be direct but supportive.

2) Why does this matter?

You run a dynamic business with smart people who seek respect and want their talents to be trusted. They dislike being micromanaged.

Instead, employees desire to understand the significance of an assignment and how it contributes to the company.

Once employees grasp the “why,” they take ownership of the solution and excel without needing continual direction.

3) How can this be done?

Many employees – especially newer ones – are unsure how to perform a specific duty to the leader’s high standards. Providing the proper explanation, training, and tools ensures workers get the job done right.

Document and create training materials for repetitive tasks that managers can leverage to help all new workers – saving everyone time.

For new problems and situations with lots of unknowns, give your people the space to devise solutions.

Make it a learning opportunity. Have them report back on what results they’re seeing vs expected, and their suggested adjustments.

Make expectations clear. Don’t set staff up to fail. You need them for your long journey.

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4) When does it need to be done?

Deadline urgency creates action. Set a specific, realistic date/time for delivery. Make expectations clear. Don’t set staff up to fail. You need them for your long journey.

5) Who is responsible for doing it?

“I thought she was going to do it.” You’ve probably heard that before. Eliminate excuses at the start by assigning responsibilities for getting the task done.

For larger projects, you may also have to assign roles to other staff for each duty. Check out the RASCI model for more info on managing complex situations effectively.

The RASCI model includes assigning the roles of the Responsible (the doer), the Accountable (Authorizer), the Support (helpers), the Consulted (inputters), and those who simply need to be Informed.

Be consistent. Leading by example maintains credibility and respect throughout your team.

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6) Monitor/Guide/Refine

To be a great leader and manager, you and your team must stay current on projects. Identifying and dealing with problems early will save significant time and resources.

Ideally, you are scheduling daily stand-ups, and regular one-on-ones, and staff meetings.

These sessions create open conversations to share status and issue updates. Here you can provide guidance and modify strategy, structure, or tactics to resolve any roadblocks.

7) Define Rewards and Consequences

Recognize and celebrate the successful completion of jobs and projects, and don’t hesitate to communicate the outcomes of underperformance.

Employees must be aware in advance of the expectations that trigger rewards and consequences.

Be purposeful, consistent, and fair in dispensing both recognition and penalites. Leading by example maintains credibility and respect throughout your team.

Conclusion

Consistently practising these seven steps will enhance performance and worker satisfaction.

Communication is key to the successful implementation of this model. Be straightforward with expectations and instructions. Have the hard conversations when required.

Over time, these steps will become standard behaviour and a big part of your company’s winning culture.

Now you’re ready to implement this accountability checklist in your business!

Please let me know if you have questions or, if you’d like to discuss this or any other business topic from this website. Email me at don@afdonex.com.

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Don Wieshlow is a Management Consultant helping CEOs build better businesses and grow.