“Correction
has to walk alongside Compassion”. Entrepreneur and entertainer Tyler Perry
shared these wise words at the recent Leadercast event. He was pointing out how
he had to correct a young employee who was in need of enhancing his
professional demeanor. Mr. Perry went on to share how he had to have a frank and open
conversation with the young staff member but that he also came alongside him
and mentored him as to his expectations. The result was that the employee
became a highly respected and valued member of his team. This
Correction/Compassion approach got me thinking out loud about how as leaders,
it is an imperative (not an option) to hold people accountable for their actions and
performance.
The
issue is, however, is that as leaders we usually train ourselves on the
attributes we find most valuable and enjoyable. Competencies such as casting
vision, organizing resources, mobilizing talent, and effectively communicating
are the leader’s stock in trade. We enjoy doing such things because they are in
our areas of strength. When it comes to holding others accountable, however, is
where we falter. Accountability conversations aren’t “sexy”. They are not fun.
They are awkward; thus, we avoid them. The result of such hesitation, however,
is confusion, lower productivity, unnecessary staff turnover, and often hurt
feelings . . . all of which can be avoided if leaders do the hard work
on the front end and the important work on the continuing end.
First,
we must get a clear idea of the imperative of accountability. According to
author and organizational consultant Henry Cloud, accountability means to
answer to a TRUST or to understand what we were entrusted to do. This
places the concept of accountability in a new and empowering light.
Accountability can no longer can be thought of as a word in the “human
performance” vernacular, but a solemn responsibility to do the best job we can,
what we have been entrusted to do! In other words, if someone has agreed to do a
specific job and have accepted compensation and/or made a commitment to do so
from an organization, then they are honor bound to do their best.
So how
can we take the awkwardness out of holding others accountability and make it
empowering and productive. Whereas not a complete list, here a few ideas.
Set
Clear Expectations – In my practice as a higher education
administrator, I was often perplexed from others who would become frustrated at
the poor behavior of students, athletic teams, or other organizations. I would
often ask their advisors if they had ever communicated expectations for these
groups or individuals. Often the answer was that they had not. The point is
this, how can you possibly expect staff members to act in a certain way if they
have never heard what those expectations are in the first place! Such
expectations can be powerful because they motivate people to meet and exceed
expectations. A former supervisor once shared with me that in setting
expectations, it is more motivating to stress what you are FOR versus what you
are AGAINST!
Negotiate
Metrics of Success – most people want to win! They want to know
that their efforts are making a difference and contribute to the overall success
of the enterprise. Research shows that when staff members have a clear AND mutually agreed upon scoreboard
of what constitutes progress and success in their roles, they perform even
higher. But take a very important note: This cannot be a one and done
conversation. Every quarter, review both individual and organizational results
with your team. If things are going great, it will be incredibly energizing and
even if they aren’t, it can also energize folks to increase efforts since you
are all in it together!
Pursue
the Tough Conversation – when it is time to make a course
correction, it is critical that the leader INITIATES the tough but necessary
conversation. A practice that has helped me is to list out talking points in
advance so that I am clear what I want to share. For some other strategies to
take the sting of emotion out of it, try the following.
- Address Behaviors, Not Personalities – start conversations with observations, not accusations. Statements such as “these are my observations” as opposed to “you have” or “you are” can de-personalize the interaction and keep it professional.
- Provide Positives with Areas for Development – it is important that staff members know that any shortcomings are not permanent or pervasive. You goal is to address specific areas of performance and clearly communicate that is not a reflection of overall character. As Douglas Conant, CEO of Campbell Soup, shares, “be tough on the issues but soft on people”.
- Determine the REAL Issue – before you even initiate an accountability conversation, be very clear WHAT you are addressing and WHY. Do a gut check and ask yourself if this is really your issue or theirs! I have often said there is more than right way to do things which is a tough thing for leaders to admit!
Leaders
Go First – in the accountability process, the very first person a
leader holds accountable is them self! As a leader, you must be both SEEN and
HEARD holding yourself accountable for your performance. If you make a mistake,
admit it. If things are going well, generously share credit. Whereas I do
agree, that leadership is no longer the sole property of THE LEADER, you do
have more influence than you can imagine. As leadership expert John Maxwell
shares, “The best gift a leader can
give is their good example!”
Truth be known, holding others
accountable is not easy but it is necessary if you want your enterprise to
thrive and succeed! Like anything to do with leadership, however, it is
something that can be learned so it must be both rehearsed and practiced. If
you are still unsure, rehearse your conversation with a mentor or coach beforehand
to make sure you are handling things as professionally as possible. Regardless
of how much you are prepared, how fair you are, or how justified in your
efforts, be prepared for a reaction. Some people may appreciate the feedback
but others, who may not have been held accountable for their behavior in the
past, may still get defensive. At that point, the ball is in their court as to
whether or not they will accept your feedback. At the end of the day, YOUR job
is to deliver correction with compassion, the rest is up to them.
For a great resource on this
topic of accountability, I highly recommend a book by executive coach Alan
Dobzinski – The Buck Starts Here. www.accountabilityexperts.com.
As always if I can help you and the
people you associate with Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would
invite you to email me or to visit my website below and see if any of the
training or coaching experiences I offer can provide an impact! In fact, I am
launching a new SPEAK FOR IMPACT
training program that will help both novice and experienced leaders find their platform and increase
their communication skills! Also, as a bonus, if you go to my Out Loud
Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and enter your contact information, I will
send you a FREE guide to establishing a mentoring initiative program in your
organization! Such an initiative would be critical to add value to your
organization!
Yours in Leadership,
Bill Faulkner
Principal Consultant –
Out Loud Strategies
Independent Coach,
Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team TM
Email = bill@outloudinc.com
For more information on
the John Maxwell Team, please visit
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