Less than half of leaders excel at creating accountability.*
Don’t confuse accountability with intimidation. Pressure produces compliance but drains vitality.
Real Accountability
Accountability is drawing out the best in others.
#1. Align desires.
Help people excel where they want to excel. Line up personal goals with organizational objectives. Remove or reassign those who can’t align.
#2. Expect integrity.
Hold people to commitments they make for themselves.
#3. Focus on ability.
Build their capabilities not your control.
#4. Reinforce follow-through.
Recognize completed commitments.
#5. Call out inconsistency.
Address gaps quickly. Mediocrity prevails when inconsistency wins the day.
#6. Emphasize mutual accountability.
Highlight interdependence. People perform best when others depend on them.
#7. Clarify expectations.
Ambiguity defeats performance.
5 Practices
- Create focus with shared deadlines.
- Build momentum with check-ins.
- Ask the accountability question: “What would you like me to ask the next time we meet?”
- Establish next steps. “What are you going to do next?”
- Settle on timing. “When are you taking your next step?”
4 Essentials
- Passion to maximize talent.
- Internal drive, not external pressure.
- Respect effort and progress.
- Learn from failure: “What will you do differently next time?”
Accountability clarifies results and behaviors.
Don’t pressure people. Call them into ownership.
Where does accountability go wrong?
What makes it work?
The 4C’s of Accountability that Increase Performance and Lower Stress
* Accountability Is Leadership’s Greatest Weakness Gallup
