“So, I guess I should have stepped in and told them it was okay to be a little behind on the project. I was just being too hard on everyone,” Sheila figured.
“That’s not the problem,” I replied. “It’s not a matter of being too hard or too soft on your team. It is a matter of fixing accountability. It’s a matter of being very clear on who would be accountable for the result.”
“You mean I should tell them the truth, that they would not be held accountable for the result of the project? That doesn’t seem right. If they know that I am the one accountable for the result, I don’t know what would happen,” Sheila pondered.
“Think about it. If your team knew that you, as the manager, were accountable for the result of the project and the project got behind, would they have tried to cover it up?”
“I suppose not. If they knew that I wasn’t going to chew them out, why would they cover it up?” she said.
“Especially, if you make an agreement with them, because you, as the manager, are accountable for the result, you need to know ASAP if any part of the project gets behind schedule. And you are not doing it because you are tight-fisted, but because you are accountable. When you are clear about accountability, communication opens up and people stop trying to cover their ass.”
I see the accountability issue here as the problem. We should all be held accountable for our actions. The team should be accountable for there part of the project. Not only as a team but each individual to a team leader, who is accountable to the manager who is accountable for the completed project. Once everyone understands that it is of the utmost importance to keep the one you are accountable to well informed the issue will resolve itself.
Brenda
Brenda,
Thank you for posting your Comment. Over the next few days, we will explore exactly what the accountabilities are for both the manager and each team member.
I’ve really enjoyed this series of blog posts, Tom!
I selected this blog for inclusion in my weekly Rainmaker ‘Fab Five’ blog picks of the week (found here: http://www.maximizepossibility.com/employee_retention/2009/06/the-rainmaker-fab-five-blog-picks-of-the-week-1.html) to share this great story with my readers.
Be well Tom!
Chris,
Thanks for the kind words and the recognition. Don’t forget, it is Elliott Jaques who deserves the credit for the underlying principle.