Link to Part 1

Recently, my friend asked me, "How do you really hold someone accountable?"

While I have written about Accountability on a number of occasions, I have never been asked or answered that straightforward question. To begin my answer, I posted some ‘general’ thoughts in ‘Part 1’. Now, I’m posting some ‘specific’ suggestions.

1. Lead by example. As the leader, understand how you hold yourself accountable and ensure you are leading by example before working to improve followers’ accountability.

2. Ensure followers know WHY. Express your views clearly. Tell accountability stories and provide visual cues. For example, U.S. President Harry S. Truman felt accountability was so important he kept a sign on his desk in the Oval Office that read, “The buck stops here”. He wanted his followers to know he accepted ultimate responsibility for decisions…he wanted his followers to really hold themselves accountable.

3. Communicate a “Master Rule”. If you hold accountability very dearly – if accountability is one of the top 5 most important things you want your followers to embrace – then create a “Master Rule” to make your strong view crystal clear. You could, for example, borrow Harry S. Truman’s “The buck stops here”. Clearly, Truman wanted his followers to view that as one of his Master Rules. Tell stories to illustrate WHY you have chosen to have a Master Rule covering accountability.

4. Recruit with accountability in mind. Talk to job candidates about accountability. Share your stories. Ask job candidates if they have stories of accountability etched in their minds.

5. Use job descriptions as accountability tools. Ensure your Role Descriptions signal accountability messages. Role Descriptions should be clear and concise, covering:

• 5-7 Task Areas – with each Task Area described in a short phrase
• 5-7 Goals – one SMART Goal for each Task Area…aligned with department Goals & company Goals
• Communication – deliver formal feedback on performance vis-à-vis Goals, at least twice per year

6. Talk about accountability at every meeting. For example, select one department/company Goal for each meeting and have each follower commit to perform at least 1 specific action and report on that action at the next meeting. Follow up. As this meeting process is initiated, visit followers 1-on-1 in advance of the next meeting and ask about action taken. Explain WHY you completed your specific action items and HOW you will report them at the next meeting.

7. Address violations. Plan how you will address ‘accountability shortfalls’ because your followers will, from time to time, fail to complete actions as agreed. Address shortfalls immediately…help your followers understand you will not ignore accountability shortfalls. Escalate your feedback to 'corrective measures' if followers illustrate repeated ‘accountability shortfalls’.

Consider the above suggestions if you want your followers to really hold themselves accountable.

And, of most importance, hold yourself most accountable as you lead by example.

Link to Part 3

Have you noticed technology is a double-edged sword?

Technology makes our lives easier by automating tasks, which reduces our manual processes and workload. Yet, technology is presenting a whole new set of workplace complications.

To function properly, computer technology [including off-the-shelf software] demands very specific actions. Put another way, technology is rather unforgiving. We learned this in the early days of card punching…one small typo ruined the software program. We called that problem something like garbage in, garbage out. Garbage out today appears in the form of error messages or (worse) unannounced problems, for example, problems hidden in the logic of Excel file cells.

Unannounced Garbage Out - have you seen that at your workplace? Do you see your off-the-shelf software spitting out little and big errors that surprise you because they strike you as violations of common sense? When you see this sort of garbage out do you think to yourself, "How could our people make errors like that?”

As the sophistication of off-the-shelf software continues to expand [exponentially], have you noticed your people making far more errors while doing relatively-simple tasks?

…like an error epidemic has attacked the basic processes at your workplace.

Have these computer garbage out errors become the norm at your workplace?

Do your people seem resigned, accepting garbage out as if it is a necessary evil of the workday?

Have you noticed that?

Have you noticed your production sputtering and grinding to an unproductive, unprofitable, painful crawl?

Have your clients noticed your production is flawed and pitted with errors?

Have you noticed your people getting carried away with and by technology?

If so – what steps are you taking to fix that problem?

In his first inaugural address, in 1933, U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Starting with this sort of thinking, FDR proceeded to take the series of planned actions that broke the back of the Great Depression, bringing vitality back to the U.S. economy and the economies of many nations around the world [including Canada’s economy].  

FDR was one of the most-influential leaders of the 20th Century. FDR understood people. FDR understood the power of positive thinking backed by decisive action.

While his words "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." have puzzled many people, FDR knew what he meant and when he took decisive actions in the form of 'fireside chats' about what to do with money & banking the American people quickly understood how to bring about positive change. FDR understood fear and he understood how fear could be mastered. 

Perhaps FDR thought along these lines...

Fear is a necessary part of life. It is not a ‘necessary evil’...it is not a burden we have to bear in order to have the opportunity to more fully appreciate the good parts of life. We should not look at fear in that sort of light.

Rather, we need to accept that fear contains value.

Yes - in excess fear can debilitate or craze, wreaking havoc. But, fears do not have to become excessive. We have the power and ability to make choices that limit and remove fear-damage.

The key is to face each fear and nip it in the bud, before it swells to excessive proportions/perceptions.

When faced and nipped in the bud, fear educates and serves as the catalyst that triggers courage. When faced over time, fear can be a vital part of the process for building self-confidence. Fear, properly faced and nipped in the bud, is the fundamental building block for strong character and influence.

Perhaps fear is a necessary precursor to, the essential ingredient for, true self-confidence. That seems to be an accurate description of one key role fear plays in our lives, the other key aspect being self-protection.

Fear protects.

Fear is at the roots of strength of character.

Really, considering the positive roles fear alone serves better than all other mindsets combined, we do not have to fear fear. We simple have to muster the conviction to work through our fears.

The key thing: we need to understand how fear affects our energy. Is it killing our energy? Is it kindling or sparking our energy? Shun the former. Embrace the latter.