As a leader or supervisor, it’s our responsibility to ensure our team are on task.
When they lose focus, come in late or produce poor quality work, it’s up to us to find out what’s going on, and if necessary, have THAT conversation with them.
It’s often uncomfortable and something we put off and yet it is our job to hold people accountable.
The interesting thing though, is that people actually do want to be held accountable.
Why? Because it shows we care.
Secondly, people do want to achieve and they want to know you are watching and interested in their performance.
Thirdly, it’s often easier for us to be accountable to someone else rather than ourselves.
Talking with a client this week, she shared how she made sure that she did her homework because she knew “Shirley will ask and hold me accountable” (and of course I did).
She also realised that she has her own cheer squad for some personal goals and this helps motivate her to complete her actions because she knows the cheer squad are watching and they will know if she doesn’t fulfil her commitment.
As you read this you might be disagreeing, (as Ross did). “No, Shirley, my team hated me holding them accountable. They hated it when I confronted them and encouraged them to get back on task.”
“Perhaps, however at the end of the day, if you asked them what sort of leader they would prefer and who they respected the most, I can tell you, it would be the one who held them accountable and helped them to fulfil their potential.”
Grudgingly, Ross agreed.
What do you think?
Are you willing to step up and hold your team accountable to experience the difference or will you continue to be N.I.C.E. (Nothing In me Cares Enough to tell you truth)?
