Kelly Vohs

Before you can hold someone accountable you owe them a great deal. Managers move straight to the accountability portion of the equation and do not ask themselves whether they have given the individual everything they need to win.

Expectations + Resources + Training + Tools + Feedback = Accountability

(E+R+T+T+F=A)

Expectations: Clear expectations. How many times have you had a supervisor that held you accountable for something you didn't know you were supposed to do?

Resources: Time, money, and freedom. How many times has someone asked you to accomplish something and not give you enough of any of these? Are you too afraid of what will happen if you are not involved? Maybe you are scared? Or lack confidence in yourself. Have you considered that they do not feel they have the freedom to execute? If they operate in fear they will never enter the danger. They will never put it on the line.

Training: Do you have a written training path? This is a list of 100 (or 200) things they need to know before they can successfully do their job. Did you provide enough time (resource)? Did you assess their knowledge to ensure they truly understand it (feedback)? Or did you give them blender training? That is where you say “you are hired” and walked away while they spin around trying to figure it out. Or caveman training: A bunch of pictures on the walls with a surly ‘trainer’ that they follow.

Tools: Do they have the items they need to do their job? We get mad at the server in a restaurant for not putting an espresso spoon down but we, as leaders, can't figure out how to keep enough in stock.

Feedback: Constant and timely feedback. They wear the wrong socks in March and you wait till January to tell them and you are mad them the entire time. Bad. Just tell them. Everyday. What they do well and what they do wrong. Everyone wants to know where he or she stands. Fear = Unknown. Someone that works in fear is less creative and less happy. They will leave.

Accountability: Hold them accountable for what they do right and what they do wrong. Accountability is not a negative term. We have made it to be. You should be telling every time they do it right. Hold them accountable for being successful.

Don't forget to sprinkle all of this with a little inspiration.