how to improve employee accountability

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SEMINAR WORKBOOK

How to ImproveEmployee Accountability

©Pryor Learning, Inc. • WEQ2009ES-DL 1

1: Lay the Foundation for Accountability

Understand the Difference Between Responsibility and Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Define Workplace Behaviors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Setting Standards of Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Establishing a Hierarchy of Accountability Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Taking it Home – Making it Personal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Personal Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2: Establish an Accountability Culture

Why is Accountability Important? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Establish Clear Standards from the Beginning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Setting Clear Performance Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Motivate People to Do Their Best . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The Power of Positive Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Being an Accountable Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Overcome the Obstacles to Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

3: Getting Your Point Across

Overcoming a Lack of Buy-in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Setting Up Accountability Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Give Them Something to Look Forward to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Turning Around Poor Performers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

4: Maintaining a Culture of Accountability

Let People Know You’re Paying Attention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Tracking and Rewarding “Rising Stars” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Accountability Is Greater When People Work to Their Strengths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Help People Avoid Their Own Kryptonite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Table of Contents

©Pryor Learning, Inc. • WEQ2009ES-DL2

1 Lay the Foundation for Accountability

Understand the Difference Between Responsibility and Accountability

Personal Ownership – A sense of self-governance that inspires personal investment in and engagement with a project or process

Responsibility – A sphere of duty or obligation; work assignments given to a person consistent with that person’s skillset, position, function, or work.

Accountability – A combination of responsibility and ownership

Accountability provides the most desirable combination of ownership and responsibility to understand responsibilities, take them seriously, and maintain ownership.

Identify the Difference

1. Jill is confused about some elements of a project. It feels like it’s falling behind, but she’s not sure how to goabout fixing it because there are too many unknowns. To whom was it really assigned? For what elements iseach person responsible? What are the due dates and dependencies? Jill goes to her supervisor to get theanswers she needs, and to make sure she is not the one who has dropped the ball or missed the mark.

What trait is Jill demonstrating?

What facts led you to that conclusion?

2. The Custom Widgets team has been tasked with completing a report on the number of requests for customwidget development proposals received in the past quarter, the number of proposals that had been convertedto actual orders, the number of man-hours expended on proposal and design development, and the revenuegenerated from the projects. The report is due in three days, but when questioned about the report’s status,each team member acknowledges that the project is behind, and explains the reason for the delay byidentifying specific components he/she did not receive from fellow team members that would have made itpossible to complete his/her part of the project.

Is this an example of Accountability or Responsibility?

What facts led you to that conclusion?

Accountability is taken and bestowed.“You are responsible for finishing this assignment.”

Responsibility is bestowed and Ownership is taken.“I really want this project to succeed.”


1

1. Think of who you consider responsible.2. Describe them to the person sitting next to you.3. List traits and behaviors that illustrate that person’s sense of responsibility.

1. Think of someone who is effective in holding people accountable (or at holding you accountable).2. Describe them to your partner.3. What techniques do they use to make sure people do their jobs?

Lay the Foundation for Accountability

Which phrases demonstrate accountability?

Place a checkmark next to the phrases that illustrate accountable behavior.

“Show me how to do it correctly.”

“I’ll do it, later.”

“I made a mistake.”

“No one told me how to do it.”

“I’ll need more time to complete this.”

“That’s not my job.”

Responsible Accountable

Characteristics/Behaviors/Phrases: Characteristics/Behaviors/Phrases:

Define Workplace Behaviors



Setting Standards of Accountability

To effectively hold someone accountable, there must be standards of acceptable performance or behavior. These standards are the foundation of business ethics.

Morals: The fundamental principles that govern what a society believes is right or wrong.Ethics: Rules that govern the behaviors permitted by a group

Morals Ethics

Stealing from others is wrong Burglary statutes, company policies against theft, etc…

Understanding Your Organization’s Areas of Accountability:

Area of Focus Why Your Organization Values It (Moral Statement)

How Value is Demonstrated (Ethics Statement)

Customer Service

Profit Margins

Innovation

High Product/Service Quality

Teamwork

Integrity

Safety

Business Growth

Sustainability



Establishing a Hierarchy of Accountability Standards

How do you decide what to do when two accountability standards are in conflict and seem to demand different actions? You should be able to look to a hierarchy of ethics that will guide your decision-making.

Sherri is Production Manager for a national retail chain with 400 stores. The chain is getting ready to launch a huge seasonal event, and Sherri’s job is to make sure each store has all the promotional material necessary for a successful sale. Two weeks before the sale starts, Sherri receives word that a custom-made premium product has a slight imperfection. It’s not enough to ruin the item, but it violates the company’s high quality standards Scrapping the products and remanufacturing a new supply will take longer than two weeks. Customers have already received emails inviting them to come and get the premium product, and failing to provide the promised item violates the company’s strong commitment to customer service. There are enough of the damaged items to last each store about two weeks.

Using the hierarchy of standards shown on the screen, what should Sherri’s course of action be?



Taking it Home – Making it Personal

1. List your company’s top five Accountability Standards.

2. Place them in their order of importance.

3. Compare your list with someone sitting near you.

4. How are they similar? Where do they differ?

Personal Assessment

How accountable are you? The first step in holding others accountable is establishing a practice of personal accountability.

How often do you . . . Frequently Regularly Seldom Never

1. Set firm goals for activities

2. Finish what you start – on time

3. Finish projects as planned

4. Ask for advice when you’re unsure of a decision

5. Check your progress against a timeline or plan

6. Review a project after it’s finished to see how youcould have done it better

7. Reward yourself for a job well done

8. Say NO when asked to take on new projects or assignments

9. Provide others with updates on projects they’ve given you


2 Establish an Accountability Culture

Why Is Accountability Important?

• What are your greatest frustrations related to accountability?

• What has been done up to now to address one of those frustrations/concerns?

• How effective was it immediately after?One week? One month?

What Do YOU Want to Accomplish Today?

ACTION PLAN



Establish Clear Standards from the Beginning

Employees should know from the very beginning what is expected of them and how their activities contribute to the organization’s overall efforts.

What is your organization’s mission statement?

Pre-Employment Process

What can you do early on to establish a culture of accountability and provide a clear message for expectations?

• Include accountability language in the job opening description.

• When interviewing applicants, ask if they have trouble following directions and being held accountable.

• Job descriptions should include specific connections between the employee’s activities and the company’s mission.

For Current Employees

• Review each person’s current job description

• Treat everyone equally

Establish a Broken Window Policy

• Establish a list of ZERO TOLERANCE standards – start with one simple issue

• Announce the START DATE for implementation

• REMIND employees of the starting date

• RECORD infractions from the very beginning (with a short Grace Period)

• Follow through CONSEQUENCES after the grace period

“Qualified applicants _____________________________________________________________________________.”

“We have _________________________________. What does that mean to you?”

“This is how your job ________________________ __ ___ __________. We are counting on you to

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________.”

Write Your Message



Setting Clear Performance Standards

Accountability is impossible without clear standards and expectations. Do not presume that your employees know what is expected of them.

Tangible Standards

Clear, Concise and Measurable

Intangible Standards

Much more difficult to quantify. Needs to be explained. Use ____________________ to describe. Requires ____________________ - requires the supervisor to remove emotion from the review. As difficult as it is to clearly define, the best supervisors are those who find ways to hold people accountable for attitudes and intangible performance.

Numerical standards Physical standards

• Attendance • Quality benchmarks

• Sales • Customer satisfaction scores

• Products produced • Durability reports

• Training modules completed •

• •

Monetary standards Time management standards

• Profit margins • Getting things done on time

• Bank ratios • Doing things in the least amount of time

• Gross revenue •

•



Motivate People to Do Their Best

You can increase employee engagement by understanding what motivates people. Simply expecting them to “do the right thing” is a recipe for failure because each person has different reasons for doing what they do.

Incentive/Reward Gain Loss

All motivation can be reduced to the power of loss and the power of gain. People do something because the fear the consequence of not doing it (loss) or they desire the benefit of doing it (gain).

Determine which of the two basic motivations describe the incentives you listed above.

Motivation

GAIN

LOSS

In groups of 3-4 people, list as many different types of incentives as you can.

Loss Aversion – “The fear of loss is twice as powerful as the prospect of gain.”



The Power of Positive Language

Telling someone what to do is much more effective than telling them what NOT to do.

_____ % of employees say that “praise from the boss” is the strongest motivator.

_____ % of top managers who voluntarily left a position say they did so because of “limited praise and recognition.”

Turn these don’t do phrases into positive language statements:

“Don’t come in late.” ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Don’t lie, cheat or steal.” _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

“No gossiping allowed.” _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Stop wasting time.”_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Don’t blame others for your mistakes.” _________________________________________________________________________________________

What are some other “don’t do” instructions managers give employees?

LB & NT Reviews

Focus on performance, rather than personality.“Great job on the warehouse. What I liked best was the way you jumped right in and got the job done.”

Describe something that could be done differently next time. “Next time, please take time to inform others of the changes you’re making to avoid confusion.”



Being an Accountable ManagerManagement is a hands-on, face-to-face, intentional activity.

Three types of management tactics*

Participatory

» Manager gathers input from others

» Manager makes the final decision

Accountability statement: “ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ”

Autocratic

» Manager sets standards

» Manager makes final decision

Accountability statement: “ ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ”

Laissez Faire

» Manager participates in setting standards

» Employees make their own decisions

Accountability statement: “ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ”

Most managers use all three approaches as needed. Use this chart to help you think intentionally about your own work scenarios and how you hold people accountable in each.

Situation/Scenario Tactic Accountability Approach

*Kurt Lewin’s Leadership Styles



Overcome the Obstacles to Accountability

Getting Your Point Across

List the names of people who report to you.Look at the descriptions and consider how to best communicate assignments to them.

Individual Style Best way to give an assignment

Try this Four-Step Approach to Clearly Communicate Your Needs:1. Discuss it

• Be clear and concise

• Know your need

• Have the listener repeat what you said

• Let the listener summarize your need

• Assign tasks and deadlines

2. Confirm it in writing

• Provide a static guide for what was discussed and agreed to

3. Try it• Let the listener go about the tasks

• Let them ask questions when needed

• Follow up with “Liked Bests” and “Next Times” feedback

4. Repeat it – as necessary

• Develop this pattern and your team will replicate it!


3 Getting Your Point Across

Overcoming a Lack of Buy-In

People are more likely to complete an assignment on time and as planned when they have some sort of personal connection to the outcome.

Three Forms of Persuasion

Ethoscredibility - trust

Logosconsistency - logic

Pathosemotions - imagination

Choose a form of persuasion and create a response. How will you persuade your team?



Use this form as a starting point and create something that works best for you and your organization.

Setting Up Accountability Systems

Reprimanding or criticizing an employee for not properly completing an unclear assignment is counter-productive. Successful managers take time at the start of an assignment to fully explain expectations.

Assignment Accountability Review

Non-specific, big-picture description

Assigned by: Assigned to: Date:

Specific end result desired Specific end result obtained

Reviewed on Observation/action




Tools/resources needed

Reason for the assignment Reason for the assignment

Completion date Observations and Action



Give Them Something to Look Forward to

PhysicalAction: Chance to “recharge” every 90-minutes Impact: 30% higher levels of concentration and a 50% boost in capacity to think creatively

EmotionalAction: Create an impression of a caring and appreciative supervisor/manager Impact: Retention and loyalty. Workers that feel valued are 130% more likely to stay with the

organization

MentalAction: Allow workers to focus on one thing at a timeImpact: Workers are 50% more engaged and achieved MORE in less time

PurposeAction: Give employees more opportunities to do more of what they do bestImpact: Improved job satisfaction and engagement

Companies that meet all four

core needs have operating margins

twice that of companies that

do not.

PhysicalPurpose

EmotionalMental

Employees are vastly

more satisfied and

productive when

four core needs

are met: physical,

emotional, mental

and spiritual.

New York Times



Turning Around Poor Performers All Poor Performance Issues Can Be Categorized in One of Three Areas:

• Don’t Know

• Can’t Do

• Won’t Do

Determining the Root Cause of Poor Performance

What Type of Standard Is at Issue?

1. Write down a specific description of the issue

2. Meet privately with the employee

3. Share your observation on performance

4. Listen for clues

5. Outline a course of action

6. Solicit an agreement on a specific course of action

7. Confirm the agreement

8. Diligently follow through on the designated plan



Turn These General Statements into Specific Descriptions of Poor Performance:

You’re always late.

You need to cooperate better with other departments.

You don’t follow safety rules.

Your progress on [this project] is below expectations.

Possible Courses of ActionDon’t Know

• Retraining• Mentoring

Can’t Do• Reassignment• Equipment improvements• Workflow changes

Won’t Do• Concerned conversation• Verbal warning• Written warning• Final warning• Appropriate consequence (termination, suspension, demotion)


4 Maintaining a Culture of Accountability

Let People Know You’re Paying Attention

Assumption: others are aware of your intentions.

Reality: people aren’t mind readers. Be pro-active and tell a story.

Follow the Example of Doug Conant, Former CEO at Campbell Soup.

1. Declare your intentions

2. Hold yourself accountable

3. Show people you care

Choose a Strategy for YOU

Open your calendar, right now, and look for opportunities over the next two weeks when you could practice different management techniques.



Tracking and Rewarding “Rising Stars”

Focus attention on top-performers. The time invested in top-performers nets much higher returns than time invested in poor performers.

Reinforcement Theory

Behavior resulting in pleasant consequences tends to be repeated; whereas, behavior resulting in unpleasantness tends to be avoided.

Accountability methods can be used as a _____________________________ for change.

Employee Evaluation Grid

Clearly above T1

Next Level S2 T2

Enrichment M3 S3 T3

Current L4 M4 S4 T4

Clearly below Moderate Strong Top

5% 25% 60% 10%



Accountability Is Greater When People Work to Their Strengths

Identify Your Strengths

Write Your Strengths Statement

Foster an Environment for Strengths



Help People Avoid Their Own Kryptonite

Identify Poisons

Cause/Poison Behavior

Emotions tend to

be contagious.

Toxic ones leak out

into the workplace

affecting more than

just the person

afflicted. It can

poison a team,

a workplace, an

organization.

Peter Frost, author of Toxic

Emotions at Work

CASE STUDYSherry is a receptionist in a pediatrician’s office. Last week she broke into tears at the front desk after observing a parent in the waiting room scolding a child who was clearly not feeling well. Sherry was embarrassed by the outburst and had to leave her desk.

• How might this have impacted Sherry’s coworkers?

• How did Sherry’s absence impact her role?

• Identify the result of Sherry’s poison. How could Sherry anticipate this reaction in the future?

Identify the potential poison and solution to the observed behavior.



Visualize the End and Work Toward It

What will I do today, this week, this month?

What will I do differently everyday for the next 30 days?

Who do I need to include in my plans?

What possible roadblocks will I face?

How will I navigate around those roadblocks?

ACTION PLAN


Appendix

Employee Evaluation Grid Homework

Clearly above T1

Next Level S2 T2

Enrichment M3 S3 T3

Current L4 M4 S4 T4

Clearly below Moderate Strong Top

5% 25% 60% 10%

Take these questions back to your organization:

What specifically defines your performance tiers? (Ex: innovation, sales, etc.)

How do you determine who gets training / who is expendable?

What are your key performance indicators?

Considering your current “rising stars”, how do you describe their performance?

What objective factor(s) do your consider to assign tiers?

What subjective factor(s) do you consider to assign tiers?

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