Not Creating a Culture of Accountability
Dive into the thirteen blind spots many organization leaders will battle at one point. In this series, our president & CEO, Dave Mattson, will provide guidance on how you can overcome these challenges.
We’re talking about the blind spot of accountability … as a matter of fact, not creating a culture of accountability. Organizations that thrive have a culture of accountability. They want their people to be accountable. When I do executive coaching, one of the big complaints with executives, “My people are not accountable.”
Quickly, let’s figure out whether that’s the problem or a symptom. It may be a symptom. Let’s look further back into the process. First, is the project or things that they’re responsible of doing clear? Is it clearly communicated and did you validate that they understood it? Just because you sent an email or you told them, that doesn’t mean it’s clear. So was it clear? Did you validate that they understood it?
Next, when is it due? When do we want something? You gotta make sure that everybody knows the date and they’ve agreed to it.
Next, what does success look like? Your view of success as a leader may be different than their view of success.
Lastly, consequence. Give people public strokes, compliments when they do what you wanted them to do, ’cause they’ll keep doing it. On the opposite side, you have to deal with when people don’t do what they say they’re going to do. The ultimate goal is to have people live up to what they’ve committed to doing.
Now fast-forward for a second. Maybe you are the issue. You have to be congruent. As a leader, if you give dates, you give timelines, you’re supposed to be a meeting at a certain time, you’re supposed to have something done by a certain date, you have to live up to it. If not, then you can’t expect your people to do what you’re not doing. It doesn’t work in your family. Your kids say, “Hey, Dad. I hear you saying that, but you’re doing it yourself,” I have no credibility.
The same thing holds true in your professional life. Make sure you’re congruent and make sure that you’re setting people up to succeed and not fail.
Up Next in the Series
Blind Spot #1: Not Having a Process for Hiring
Blind Spot #2: Improperly Onboarding People
Blind Spot #3: Failing to Tie Corporate Goals to Personal Goals
Blind Spot #4: Not Creating a Culture of Accountability
Blind Spot #5: No Common Sales Language
Blind Spot #6: Not Focusing on Lead Generation
Blind Spot #7: Not Capturing Best Practices
Blind Spot #8: Failing to Train and Coach Management Staff
Blind Spot #9: Not Building the Bench
Blind Spot #10: Not Knowing How to Coach
Blind Spot #11: Not Sharing the Vision with Those who Have to Implement it
Blind Spot #12: Fostering a Culture of Learned Helplessness
Blind Spot #13: No Methodologies and Systems
The Road to Excellence
The best-selling book by Dave Mattson helps you determine what, exactly, stands between your company and organizational excellence – and what you can do about it.
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