“How do I boost accountability on my team?” This is the most pervasive question being asked by leaders in both startups and in Fortune 500 companies alike. The term accountability is tossed around so frequently without any supporting actions that it is losing its meaning. I often hear my client executives say, “Let’s keep him accountable…
Ambiguity is the Achilles Heel of accountability. To boost accountability, you must be specific – even more specific than you think you need to be. When specificity goes up things like miscommunication, rework and frustration all go down. Accountability is also a two-way street. We can’t expect our team to be accountable to us unless…
Do you want to finish strong in 2017? If you want great results by the end of this year, boost accountability today. Unfortunately, accountability is like rain. Everyone knows it’s good for you, but no one wants to get wet! The term “accountability” is frequently used without supporting actions, so it loses its meaning within organizations.…
Excellent leaders help their teams by clearly and specifically defining the actions, timing and results they expect from others and from themselves. For each member of your team, make certain you communicate the 3W’s (What, Who and When). We use a very similar format with our coaching clients to help them drive millions of dollars…
We tend to think of consequences with respect to the short term – the immediate impact of our performance (positive or negative). That’s the easy part of defining specific consequences. But it still leaves a lot to the imagination. As the circle of consequences below illustrates, we need to help employees see and understand the longer term,…
Video of pzLcF79HYd0 Human communication is a highly imperfect process, so we need to be more specific than we think. A few years back I was invited to speak at the INC. magazine leadership conference in San Diego. Once it was confirmed, my wife mentioned it to my son saying, “Hey, Cameron, dad's going to…
The Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia happens to have been built next to a mango grove that one family of elephants have always visited when the fruit ripens. When they returned one year and found the luxury accommodation in the way, they simply walked through the lodge lobby right psat the front desk to reach their…
Accountability means answering or accounting for your actions and results. It is something every leader wants more of from his team. Accountability is like rain -- everyone knows they need it, but no one wants to get wet. It's easy to talk about how "they" need to be more accountable, but it can be uncomfortable…
The powerful leader, without a doubt, can still have a strong and commanding presence. The key is how s/he chooses to exchange information, and therefore power, to yield team success. A power exchange is the intentional, continuous transfer of information that boosts employee accountability and performance. There are four power converters that gradually increase employee…
Have you ever noticed the intensity difference when you play a game for fun compared to “playing for keeps?” Our family frequently plays Ping-Pong in our game room. It’s a fun and easy game for all ages. It’s easy and pretty relaxed to just volley back and forth, but there are visible changes once we…
