Today I had the good fortune to pick up an article written by a man I've quoted before, Ian Cook, of Vistage. He has previously had much to say about managing through our economic crisis. In today's article, he focused on accountability, and here, I will build on what he wrote, using my words.
What I liked most was that he advocates FOSTERING accountability, not FORCING it. To facilitate is not to demand, but rather expect. To lead is to place the responsibility within your people, not allowing them to shift it to you, or taking it from them when things go bad.
He advocates building clear goals with lots of latitude around HOW to achieve them; he tells them WHAT must be done, and then expects them to accomplish it their way. By letting go with the how, he allows them to learn and grow stronger.
Ian states that we must resist the temptation to jump in when they're struggling and solve the problem for them. Yes we might decide to help them, but then we should step back again and allow them to continue the attempt.
Along the way, we need to stay in touch, but only with the big picture; allow them to work on the details; remember, the devil is in them!
Also, remember to acknowledge their progress, especially when they take on more responsibility. Encourage them not to be afraid to fail; failing is only a temporary state. Failing is often the fastest way to learn. We consistently need to reinforce positive behavior.
In summary, don't tell your staff the detailed what to do, but rather the overall goal, then let them work together (teams are great with effective leadership) to get the results. Celebrate when they do; you'll be not only growing in responsibility, but growing your people and bench strength.
The bottom line is that accountability need not be an unpleasant task. Instead, make it a productive one.
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