Communication, Communication, Communication - Creates Accountability

Posted on March 31, 2011 by Suzanne Ferguson, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.

Does it seem like there is no one you can really count on anymore? Are your teammates, your family, or your friends continually letting you down? If so, let me offer you a surprising solution.

You might not want to hear this, but it’s true. Accountability involves two parties—which means you are part of the problem. But here’s the good news – when you accept that you are part of the problem, you can take steps to fix it, and the only thing that stands in your way is knowing how. Here’s more good news: you are about to learn how!

Accountability

Poor accountability means broken agreements, unmet expectations, or even a reluctance to commit. More often than not, it arises because of an incomplete understanding of what makes for successful requests, agreements, or commitments.

Here are some tried-and-true strategies you can use to improve your culture of accountability, based around these three basic steps:

The Request

A request is simply asking for what you want. Basically, if you don’t ask, you will not get what you want!

Every request should include a by-when date if you want to have an action completed within a specific timeframe. This may be negotiated or even renegotiated, but if no date is specified, expect that the job or task will be completed according to the other’s timeframe, which will almost certainly not mesh with yours.

The Agreement

An agreement is an arrangement between parties regarding a course of action—usually made in response to a request. There are 5 types of agreement:

1. Accept

2. Decline

3. Ask for clarification

4. “Promise to promise” which is the need to check on a prior commitment before agreeing. For example, “I’d like to say yes but I already have a commitment on that day. Let me see if I can re-schedule that and I’ll get back to you. Can I let you know tomorrow?”

5. Negotiate, which is a willingness to agree to some terms of the request but not all. For example, “I will do what you ask but I can’t have it done by Monday. Is it okay if I get it back to you by Wednesday?”

The Commitment

Once an agreement is accepted and all terms are clearly understood by both parties, a commitment is made. And here’s the trick: Rather than making “do or die” commitment, try managing it.

We make commitments given the information that we have in the moment and we do so with good intentions to deliver. However, sometimes, “shtuff” happens to interfere with our ability to follow through as we agreed. Managing your commitments offers flexibility and choices as you work to deliver on your promise.

There are three ways you can manage your commitment:

1. Keep it

2. Re-negotiate it

3. Revoke it

For many, renegotiating or revoking a commitment is where accountability starts to fall apart. But it doesn’t have to be that way. The first rule if you need to renegotiate or revoke a commitment is to do so as soon as you know this is going to be necessary.

Renegotiating a commitment. An example: “I said I’d get X to you by Wednesday and in order to complete it I need X, which I will not receive until Thursday. I will get the finished product to you by Friday.”

Revoking a commitment. The topic of revoking a commitment often evokes a response of anxiety or indignation. If you feel this response coming on, I say: What’s better? “Killing” your self to deliver? Simply not delivering and suffering the consequences? Or explaining honestly that you can’t see it through and taking the opportunity to make it right?

How you “make it right” will depend on your situation and resources. Here are two examples:

• “I can’t keep my commitment because, of X. I asked Bob to handle it for me and he has agreed.”

• “I can’t keep my commitment because of X. I have not been able to find anyone who is willing to commit, what can I do to make it right?”

Your Next Steps

If you think you are already doing all of these things and are still surrounded by people who are not accountable, I invite you to look again.

• The next time you make a request, make sure you include a by-when date.

• The next time you make an agreement, consider the five types of agreement.

• The next time you make or expect a commitment, remember that commitments can be managed.

If your culture has been “un-accountable” for a long time, you will need to train your “team” and ask that they practice these simple communication skills with you. And, of course, the best way to insure a change is to demonstrate the skills yourself.