Welcome

A few weeks ago I wrote about some of the best ways in setting SMART goals. What I often see leaders do is set the goals and nothing else gets done after these have been set.

This is all well and good and something that can easily happen. Work and competing tasks get in the way of doing everything else. The focus becomes on today vs anything else.

But this shouldn’t happen and as a new leader setting the goals can be hard enough but in order to be great leader you need to hold your team accountable for the goals that you set. Driving accountability is something a lot of teams and leaders often miss.

Holding people accountable to the goals and ensuring that these are met, if not going to be met a review on what needs to happen next. Holding people accountable will help you as you develop as a leader. It will help the team to drive respect and ensure that standards across the team are high. People want to work in places where:

• Things get done

• They aspire to do better

• Shared vision

A lot of these are achieved through driving accountability with goals.

Building Accountability

As a new leader this can be a challenge in having the relationship and comfort to hold people accountable for what they were going to do. This is certainly harder if you have made the move from peer to now leader of the team. You will have to have some very difficult conversations with your team, to get them onboard with your vision and plan. This will take time but you will have to ensure that you continue asking the right questions and pushing for excellence in the outputs. That doesn’t mean that everything has to be 100% perfect but that you are pushing the team to improved results over time.

How do you go about doing this well?

• Clarity of goals: This linked to my previous post on SMART goals but you need to have clarity in what needs to be delivered and by when. Set out the expectations for this clearly.

• Check-ins: Ensure that you have regular check-ins to track progress against the outcomes. This should be an opportunity to review progress and where things are currently standing. This gives you an opportunity to assess whether things are on track or not. If not what is needed to ensure things get done.

• Review Support: Take the time to see whether the individual needs additional support. When you set the SMART goals you should have looked at the resources and tools they need, this is a great space to look at what else is missing and whether anything else is needed.

• Feedback: Ensure you provide feedback on the current space, is this inline with expectations. If things are going well ensure that you celebrate the small wins. If they ticked out two or three tasks celebrate these. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on what has worked well and how things can be done better the next time or as they move through different parts of the goals.

• Lead by example: As a leader you need to be at the front doing what you say. In this instance openly share your goals and track these specifically. With this you need to ensure that you are doing what you say. Set the tone and example you expect from your team. This will be infectious for others but it becomes a lot easier for you to drive with others excellence and the expectations needed from the team. You define the bar.

• Adapt: At times priorities will change, this is huge in the startup space where things will move quickly. This can happen where new company goals come into play. Here you may want to review the gaols that have been set and look at whether they are still aligned and a priority or whether these need to be changed.

Tips for New Managers

As a new leader this space can often be a challenge; here are some additional tips for you as a new leader:

• Avoid Micromanaging: Trust your team to handle their tasks. Offer support, but give them space to perform.

• Be Approachable: Let your team know you’re available for support and guidance.

• Stay Flexible: Be prepared to adapt plans as situations change.

• Provide Resources: Ensure your team has the tools and information they need to succeed.

• Give Constructive Feedback: Offer regular feedback to help your team grow and improve.

Driving accountability for your team is really important to ensuring that the delivers on what is needed in helping the business achieve its results. A lot of the points are great for when everything is going really well and everything is on track. But we all know that life doesn’t work like this, tings go wrong and blockers hit. Things will sometimes go wrong. In those moments what do you do to ensure accountability is still there.

Tips for when things don’t go well

1. Stay Calm and Assess the Situation: First things first, keep a cool head. Panicking won’t help anyone. Take a moment to understand what’s happened, why it’s happened, and how far off track things are. Gather all the facts before jumping into action.

2. Communicate Openly with Your Team: Transparency is key. Let your team know what’s going on without placing blame. An open discussion can often reveal insights or solutions you hadn’t considered. It also reassures your team that you’re all in it together.

3. Re-Evaluate and Adjust Goals: Sometimes, plans need tweaking. Revisit your goals and see if they need adjusting based on the new circumstances. Be flexible and open to changing course if it means a better outcome in the end.

4. Prioritise and Delegate: Identify what’s most important and focus your team’s efforts there. Delegating tasks effectively can help get things back on track more efficiently. Make sure everyone knows their priorities.

5. Provide Support and Resources: Check if your team has everything they need to succeed. This might be additional resources, training, or just moral support. Removing obstacles enables your team to perform at their best.

Tips for new managers when things go off track

• Keep Communication Lines Open: Regular updates can prevent misunderstandings and keep everyone aligned.

• Maintain a Positive Attitude: Your team looks to you for cues. Staying positive boosts morale and encourages perseverance.

• Encourage Problem-Solving: Invite your team to contribute ideas for getting back on track. Collaborative solutions are often the most effective.

• Learn from the Experience: Use setbacks as learning opportunities. Reflect on what went wrong and how to prevent it in the future.

• Don’t Play the Blame Game: Focus on solutions rather than pointing fingers. A blame-free environment fosters trust and accountability.

Key Takeaways

• Assess the Situation Calmly: Understand the root causes before taking action.

• Communicate Transparently: Keep your team informed and involved in the solution.

• Adjust Plans as Needed: Be flexible and willing to change course for the better.

• Support Your Team: Ensure they have what they need to overcome challenges.

• Reflect and Learn: After resolving the issue, take time to learn from it.

Action Items

Here are two things that you can do to really you ensure accountability of the goals across the team are set up well:

1. Organise a Team Meeting to Re-Align Goals

• Action: Schedule a meeting with your team this week to revisit the goals and expectations. Use this time to clarify any ambiguities and ensure everyone understands their responsibilities and deadlines.

• Why: This promotes transparency and gives team members the opportunity to voice any concerns or obstacles they might be facing. It sets the stage for improved accountability moving forward.

2. Implement Regular Progress Updates

• Action: Set up a system for regular progress reports. This could be a quick weekly email update, a shared project tracker, or brief check-in meetings.

• Why: Regular updates keep everyone informed about the team’s progress and highlight areas that may need attention sooner rather than later. It fosters a culture of openness and collective responsibility.

Book recommendation

“Crucial Accountability: Tools for Resolving Violated Expectations, Broken Commitments, and Bad Behavior” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.

Overview

“Crucial Accountability” provides practical strategies for addressing situations when team members fail to meet expectations or commitments. The authors delve into techniques for holding difficult but necessary conversations that promote accountability without damaging relationships. The book equips leaders with tools to resolve issues effectively, ensuring that problems are addressed promptly and constructively.

Three Application Points from the Book

 1. Initiate Constructive Conversations

• Application: When a team member doesn’t meet a goal or expectation, approach the conversation promptly and respectfully. Use the book’s “STATE” approach:

• Share your facts.

• Tell your story.

• Ask for their perspective.

• Talk tentatively.

• Encourage testing.

• Benefit: This method helps in discussing the issue without triggering defensiveness, leading to a more productive dialogue.

  2. Diagnose the Root Cause

• Application: Before jumping to conclusions, identify whether the issue is due to motivation, ability, or external factors. Ask open-ended questions to understand the underlying reasons for the missed expectations.

• Benefit: Understanding the real cause allows you to address the problem effectively—be it through additional support, training, or adjusting workloads.

 3. Create a Follow-Up Plan

• Application: Develop a clear action plan with specific steps, responsibilities, and deadlines. Document the agreement and set up regular check-ins to monitor progress.

• Benefit: This ensures that both parties are accountable for the agreed-upon solutions, preventing future misunderstandings and promoting a culture of reliability.

And that’s a wrap for this week! I hope you have found it useful and have something that you can act on this week.

PS If you have enjoyed this content then you will love my FREE 90 day course for new leaders. Get it here