By: Ian Cook, CSP Principal Fulcrum Associates Inc. How to Build Accountability in your People 7 Tips Welcome to

Benefits to having Accountability in your organization: Frees you up to do your critical managerial work Less stress, when you can confidently rely on others Faster development of staff to full performance levels Confident, engaged employees inclined to rise up to their full potential Unit productivity rises due to an overall culture of personal accountability

Frees you up to do your critical managerial work

Less stress, when you can confidently rely on others

Faster development of staff to full performance levels

Confident, engaged employees inclined to rise up to their full potential

Unit productivity rises due to an overall culture of personal accountability

Tip #1 Managers are problem solvers. Their default style, honed over many years, is to take responsibility and come up with solutions to problems. When coaching your staff to be more accountable, however, you must overcome any needs you have to relieve your own anxiety that is triggered by questions unanswered and decisions unmade. Get over your need to tell your staff what to do and how to do it.

Tip #2 Early on in your working relationship, tell your employee that you expect him to come up with most answers to work-related problems and that you want him to take prime responsibility for his work performance, career aspirations and job satisfaction. That said, however, you will still be there as a support, coach and advisor. Let them know you expect them to take responsibility.

Tip #3 Give the clear goals and a lot of latitude around how to achieve them. You have a major role setting–with employee involvement, ideally–their work objectives and performance standards. Beyond that, however, let them choose how they will accomplish their work goals. If they go off track or fall behind, you can always step in and lead a discussion about what they could do differently to recover.

Tip #4 Situational Leadership® teaches that the amount of direction and support you give an employee around a particular task depends on her (1) motivation & self-confidence and (2) competency to perform it. Employees may well require your active involvement with new responsibilities but as soon as they don’t, get out of the way! Ease off your direction as soon as they start to get it right.

Tip #5 When an employee brings you a question or problem that she should be able to handle…and you solve it…everyone feels good and we can all get on with our work. But you are building dependency, not accountability. Instead, ask her for her ideas. Resist solving their problems; turn it back on them for the solution.

Tip #6 Ask questions that focus on their thinking process, not the details First of all, get her to identify what she wants from you…the solution? advice? ideas? or perhaps just a sympathetic ear? Then, invite her direct involvement with questions such as “What have you tried or considered? What might be a solution or course of action? Where could you get that information?”

Tip #7 Recognize and acknowledge when they take responsibility. It requires courage to take on accountability. After all, you could fail. So, whenever an employee does step up and take responsibility for solving a problem, improving his performance or identifying his career aspirations and possible development plans, this is precisely the kind of behavior you want encourage and reinforce. Recognize and acknowledge when they take responsibility.

Fulcrum covers these tips–and much more–in depth in our comprehensive management development program, The Skillful Leader Call us to bring this series of workshops into your organization, or to have us customize a learning solution to foster a culture of accountability.

For other tips, articles and book reviews for managers and leaders go to. www.888fulcrum.com/free_resources.aspx For answers call: Fulcrum Associates Inc 888-385-2786 Or visit: www.888fulcrum.com