Leadership Thought #471 – 4 Reasons Why Accountability Is An Issue

Regularly, I meet with a client who laments the lack of accountability in their work environment. My initial response is always, “We are what we tolerate.” I then explain to them the four reasons (in my experience) why things don’t get done:

1. There is a lack of clarity about what needs to be done.
2. The person in question doesn’t know how to do what you are asking them to do.
3. They already have too much on their plate and need help prioritizing their workload.
4. They don’t buy into the assignment, to begin with.

First, we have all been there. We assign a task to a direct report, and even though we can see it in their eyes and body language, they don’t fully get it. However, we plow forward anyway. Occasionally, the person will even say “yes” as their head is nodding “no.” They don’t want to look stupid or unprofessional, so instead of asking for further clarification, they gloss over their confusion and hope to grasp the gist of your request enough to make reasonable progress.  Our job as leaders is to push back on this dynamic and make sure what we are delegating is crystal clear before exiting the conversation. Make sure you both understand the request by asking them to repeat it.

Second, similar to the previous point, employees tend not to want to appear ignorant to their supervisors, so they will often agree to something they have no idea how to accomplish. Once again, they employ a strategy of hoping to figure out how to execute the request. People waste a significant amount of time attempting tasks they are unfamiliar with. Once again, our job as leaders is to ask them if they feel confident that they have the necessary knowledge and experience to complete the task, or if they need help figuring it out. Of course, a boss needs to make it okay for people to admit their gaps in capabilities if this conversation is ever to take place constructively.

Third, in most organizations, if you have a reputation for getting things done, more work tends to be assigned to your plate. Type A individuals and pleasers also struggle with saying “no.” Most leaders can empathize with this thinking because they often fall into either or both of these two categories themselves. You should know if your people are operating near their maximum delivery capacity. Bosses should be reluctant to add to an already full workload without first providing guidance on which priorities can be shifted to accommodate the new request. Asking a straightforward question like “Do you feel you have the existing capacity to get the job done, or do I need to help you reprioritize other work?” can assist the other person in understanding their time constraints. Always push back if you think they are being too optimistic or confident.

Finally, the last point is the only one that may derive from an “attitude” issue, although not always. Sometimes, people don’t buy into what you’re asking them to do. They don’t see the value in the request or believe there is a better way to approach the issue. They may also think that your interest in the objective will wane as you focus on other things, based on their experience. Some attitudes are fixable; others are not. This is always a judgment call. I advise my clients to unburden the organization of poor attitudes ASAP, but deal with everyone else using the following two questions and a related management action:

• Do you appreciate the value of this assignment?
  • If not, ask why and dig deeper into the issue. Be steadfast about the outcome you desire, but let go of your ego during this discussion. Not everything you produce is of equal or easily decipherable value. Employee buy-in is an earned currency that should never become a default expectation.
• Do you have a more effective way to achieve the same outcome?
  • Listen to what they have to say. They may have a better idea.
• Practice a “less is more” approach to management.
  • Don’t overwhelm your team with an endless list of assignments just because you can. Busy people don’t need more work; they need more focused, high-impact direction. If you can’t prioritize, then how do you expect them to do it?

I encourage you to reflect on the above if you are having problems with accountability and your direct reports. I am sure that one of the reasons will help you communicate and perform better. Of course, a lack of consequences (good or bad) for performance can also be an issue (a topic for other blogs), but I would only address this if you have improved your ability to delegate the action in the first place. Most people show up to work and want to do the right things, especially those who have climbed the organizational chart. It is our job to ensure they receive the clarity of direction and discussion they need to be successful.