Accountability Purpose The purpose of this module is
Accountability
Purpose The purpose of this module is to educate supervisors on accountability. Accountability for one's self and others is a cornerstone of good leadership. The development of accountability will also be characterized by communication (which includes providing feedback), goal setting and measurement. This module will focus on establishing expectations and standards, as well as delegating and coaching. 2
Overview Accountability q What it is and what it is not Fostering Accountability q q q Set Goals Establish Expectations Provide Communication & Feedback Measure Success Coach Towards Improvement Reward Excellent Performance Delegation q q q 3 What it is and what it is not What and when it is appropriate Benefits Fears Symptoms of Poor Delegation The Delegation Process
Accountability is… q q 4 According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, accountability is an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions. In the workplace, this definition could be expanded to include holding yourself and your employees accountable for their actions including job performance and achieving business results.
Accountability is Not… q q q 5 Accountability is not pointing the finger at an employee when business results do not meet expectations. Accountability is not demeaning or belittling employees for the sake of making an example of them. Accountability is not leading employees through condescension, fear or intimidation.
Fostering Accountability 6 q Set Goals q Establish Expectations q Provide Communication and Feedback q Measure Success q Coach Towards Improvement q Reward Excellent Performance
Set Goals q q q 7 Create clear departmental/team goals and business objectives that every employee can plainly understand support. Align your team to ensure all job activities, job priorities, and overall contributions are consistent with these goals and business objectives. In order to align your team, you must clearly understand the vision, mission, and business objectives of your workplace; familiarizing yourself with how they relate to your team; and have a sound strategy to meet or exceed them.
Set Goals 8 S • Specific • Does your team know what you want to accomplish in detail? M • Measurable • How will your team’s progress be evaluated? A • Attainable • Is your team’s goal within reach given their current situation? R • Relevant • Is your goal applicable to the vision and objectives of the workplace? T • Timely • What is the deadline for the team to complete the goal?
Practical Application Take a moment to read the following statement. Consider the flaws when using this statement as a goal. “I want to improve response time. ” 9
Practical Application “I want to improve response time. ” q This goal is not specific: what is the response time related to? q This goal is not measurable: what will determine improvement? q This goal may or may not be attainable; there is not enough information given to determine if it realistic. q This goal is not relevant: what is this goal being tied back to? q This goal is not timely: when will this goal be accomplished? A better example of a S. M. A. R. T. goal would be: “I want to improve our customer helpline response time by reducing our abandon call rate from 3% to 1% in two months by hiring additional staff to improve customer satisfaction. ” Setting appropriate goals does require knowledge and effort, but is also necessary in fostering accountability in your employees and yourself. 10
Establish Expectations q Give employees a clear understanding of what excellence in job performance and achieving business results is in your workplace. q q Do not assume employees know what good performance or successful outcomes are in your workplace. Illustrate your point by clarifying, detailing, and outlining what you expect. q 11 Your role as a leader is to develop departmental/team expectations that will ensure consistent, successful outcomes. It is unfair to hold people accountable for what they have not been told.
Practical Application Consider the meaning of excellence for office work at a reception desk. How does that look or sound to you? How would you convey these expectations to a receptionist? 12
Practical Application Excellence in an office setting at a reception desk may mean: q q The workplace is clean and well-organized Telephone calls are answered within three rings in a friendly and courteous manner Employees are dressed in business-appropriate attire Each visitor entering the reception area is immediately given a warm and friendly greeting Addressing each of these elements individually conveys their importance and clearly defines what is expected in order to foster accountability in your employees and yourself. 13
Provide Communication and Feedback q q q 14 Communicate with your team often. When it comes to developing a team that excels in service, operations and performance – repetition is good. Discussing relevant vision, mission, and business objectives with your team regularly will facilitate understanding and allow them to become second-nature. Share stories, simple work examples, and best practices that demonstrate how other teams drive excellence to make it real and relevant for your team. The more you talk about the vision, mission, and business objectives the more familiar your team will become with them. Providing feedback regularly, even as a brief five minute conversation or quick email, can serve as checkpoint with your employees. This will affirm that they are working in the right direction to meet a goal or business objective.
Practical Application After a goal has been set and expectations have been discussed, how might you handle future communications? 15
Practical Application After a goal has been set and expectations have been discussed, you might handle future communication by : q q q Scheduling a brief weekly meeting or conference call with your employees to discuss progress, obstacles and action items Designing a spreadsheet or document viewed by all employees to track the success in accomplishing milestones of the goal Creating an anonymous feedback box for suggestions, comments or concerns on how to achieve the goal successfully Providing an open line of communication assists in reinforcing goals and expectations, thus fostering accountability in your employees and yourself. 16
Measure Success q q q 17 Use measurements to quantify success. Without measurements, there is no concrete evidence to determine obstacles, progress and achievements. Utilize internal key measurements, if available, to assess how effective your employees are at meeting expectations. Key measurements might include customer and employee satisfaction surveys, productivity reports, or even employee turnover results. If your workplace does not have a process to measure key indicators, work with your team to develop a simplistic report or scorecard that everyone can understand support.
Practical Application After a goal has been set and expectations have been discussed, how might you measure success in achieving a goal? 18
Practical Application After a goal has been set and expectations have been discussed, you might measure success in achieving this goal by: q Reviewing existing pertinent reports accessible to supervisors q Developing a tracking tool with employees that is convenient and simple for all to use q Creating a quantifiable, user-friendly survey that target audiences (customers, employees, etc) can complete Measurements are vital in quantifying success to facilitate fostering accountability in your employees and yourself. 19
Coach Towards Improvement q q 20 Do not overlook those employees who consistently do not meet performance expectations. Take immediate action by reaching out to these employees on an individual basis. Commit to routine coaching and counseling, working with these employees on an improvement plan to help them strengthen their performance. Do not be afraid to confront employees who present unacceptable behavior. They may set a bad example for the rest of the team or repress the team's ability to meet goals and deliver results.
Practical Application For a few weeks, you have noticed one employee is consistently not meeting expectations. How might you coach this employee? 21
Practical Application For a few weeks, you have noticed one employee is consistently not meeting expectations. You might coach this employee by: q q q Scheduling a one-on-one meeting to discuss performance and possible obstacles Determining the cause of the unmet expectations (lack of clarity in expectations, skill deficiency, attitude, etc) Developing a personalized improvement plan for the employee to assist in improving performance Coaching employees who are falling short of meeting expectations and reaching goals is imperative in fostering accountability in your employees and yourself. 22
Reward Excellent Performance q q q 23 Make it a priority to regularly recognize and reward employees who consistently exemplify good performance. This not only encourages those employees to maintain their level of effort and drive results, but it also sets the standard by which other employees should be measured. Openly acknowledge and reward high-performing employees in team communications or during staff meetings. Genuinely show employees that you appreciate their efforts. If you are unable to provide them with a reward of monetary value, acknowledgment as simple as a certificate of appreciation or a handwritten note still convey recognition and gratitude.
Practical Application You have noticed one employee is consistently surpassing expectations and achieving successful results. How might you reward this employee? 24
Practical Application You have noticed one employee is consistently surpassing expectations and achieving successful results. You might reward this employee by: q q q Acknowledging the employee and requesting a round of applause during the next team meeting Creating and hand-delivering a certificate of appreciation that can be displayed in the employee’s workspace Presenting the employee with a monetary reward, gift card or company gift (when possible) to acknowledge their efforts and performance Rewarding and recognizing employees encourages those employees to maintain their level of effort and drive results and provides an example for other employees to follow, which is essential for accountability purposes. 25
Delegation Is… q q 26 Delegation is the assignment of authority to another person to carry out specific job-related activities. It allows for a shift of power in decision-making from supervisor to employee.
Delegation Is Not… q q q 27 Delegation is not task assignment. Task assignment is assigning work to employees within the duties and responsibilities of the position. Delegation, on the other hand, involves the supervisor giving employees the responsibility and authority to do something that is normally the supervisor’s job. Delegation is not “dumping. ” Supervisors should ensure that employees do not feel bombarded with unwanted or unpleasant assignments, causing some employees to become resentful. Delegation is not abdication. The supervisor still has the ultimate accountability for the assignment. Hence, it is critical to establish appropriate checkpoints to monitor progress. Clear expectations should be set, including any boundaries or criteria. However, the supervisor should avoid dictating how the work should be completed.
Delegation – What and When Is It Appropriate? q q 28 Making day-to-day minor decisions. Any job responsibilities your employees are expected to do in your absence. Tasks that can develop employees in other areas for potential promotion. Answering routine questions; this helps employees think for themselves.
Delegation – What and When is it Not Appropriate? q q q 29 Morale and issues with other staff members. Tasks no other employees in the department are qualified to do. Personnel issues such as hiring, firing, or disciplinary matters. Assignments from your supervisor that he/she expects you to do personally. An emergency or short-term task where there is not time to explain.
The Benefits of Delegation for the Supervisor q Makes your job easier. q Reduces stress. q Allows you to do more of what you should be doing. q Develops trust and rapport with your employees. q 30 Grooms your successor so that you can move on to bigger and better things. Often supervisors derail their own advancement by not having someone ready to take their place.
The Benefits of Delegation for the Employee q Provides professional growth opportunities. q Develops their professional knowledge and skills. q Elevates their self-image and ultimately self-esteem. q Enhances their confidence and value to the organization. q q 31 Brings them personal satisfaction and a sense of achievement. Gives them opportunities to be involved with decisionmaking, which leads to higher commitment and increased morale.
The Benefits of Delegation for the Organization q q 32 Saves money Promotes teamwork Fosters professionalism Increases productivity and efficiency
Supervisors’ Fears Behind Delegation 1. They are too busy. Too often supervisors are so involved in "doing the work” that they lose sight of the fact that they have a team of talented employees who can perform those duties with just a little coaching and direction. 2. They think it takes too much time. Many supervisors feel that in the time it takes them to train an employee, they could have taken care of the task themselves. Unfortunately, this is short-sighted thinking because your employees will not learn this way and will continually interrupt you for insignificant matters that they should be capable of resolving on their own. 3. They think it's too risky. Some supervisors are fearful their employees will make costly mistakes; in essence, these supervisors are unwilling and afraid to take the risk. They don't want to suffer the consequences of a poorly executed decision, even if it is a valuable learning experience for the employee. 33
Supervisors’ Fears Behind Delegation 4. They believe their employees lack experience and competence. Many supervisors subscribe to the belief that “If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself. ” Doubting the capability of their employees, they think they can do the work better than anyone else. This creates a ruthless cycle that only gets more difficult to break. Through experience and training their employees may be able to handle these tasks— but they may never know. 5. They are secretly intimidated. Some supervisors question, "what if the employee makes a decision that makes them look better than me? " These types of supervisors don't want to arouse any movers or shakers within the team; thus, mediocre to marginal employee performance is just fine – and is what they will get out of the team. 6. They think that as supervisors, they are supposed to have full control over everything. Supervisors are responsible for success; however it does not mean they have to do all of the work to attain it. Be honest with yourself. If you do not delegate as much as you should, what are your real reasons for not doing so? If you cannot overcome these fears, the problem is that you are still the one doing the job. You must be able to entrust authority to your employees. 34
Employees’ Fears Behind Delegation q q 35 They may feel that the task is being imposed on them. They may not have the skills, knowledge or ability to do the job. They received no reward or recognition in the past for a job well done. They may fear criticism from the supervisor if they don’t do things exactly as expected.
Symptoms of Poor Delegation q q q Deadlines are frequently missed The department/organization is plagued by slow decisionmaking Communication flow is very slow, incomplete and often too late q Some employees are much busier than others q Competent employees feel frustrated and bored q Employees are assigned tasks without proper training q 36 Employees are unsure of their level of authority and responsibility
Symptoms of Poor Delegation q q q q 37 Employees’ suggestions are often neglected and overlooked Employees frequently request transfers to other departments or leave the organization Changes in plans and objectives are not passed on from the supervisor to the employees Supervisor sometimes intervenes in the task without informing employees Supervisor is usually too busy to talk with employees Supervisor insists that all actions/decisions must be reviewed by him/her Supervisor does not meet the deadline; takes work home on a regular basis
The Delegation Process 1. Determine what you are going to delegate. q Take the time to plan how you are going to present the assignment, including your requirements, parameters, authority level, checkpoints and expectations. It is recommended that you write down these items and give a copy to your delegate in order to minimize miscommunication. 2. Determine who will be your delegate and indicate why he/she was chosen. q 38 Assess the skills and the experience of your employees as objectively as possible during this step.
The Delegation Process 3. Meet with your delegate to discuss the assignment. • • • 39 Describe the assignment in detail Clarify the employee’s level of authority as well as resources available to him/her. Solicit questions, reactions, and suggestions and listen for “buy-in. ” Ask the employee for commitment and offer assistance in establishing priorities and relieving some of the pressure of the employee’s other responsibilities and assignments. Be encouraging. Establish checkpoints, deadlines, and ways to monitor progress and ensure it is a collaborative effort.
The Delegation Process 4. Keep in contact with the employee and observe the checkpoints the two of you decided upon; however, don’t hover or micro-manage. Remember, delegating means letting go. 5. Recognize and reward the person for his/her successful completion of the assignment. 40
Resources Doran, G. T. (1981). There's a S. M. A. R. T. way to write management's goals and objectives. Management Review, 70(11), 35. Gilbert-Jamison, T. (2009). The role of mid-managers in driving excellence. Retrieved from http: //ezinearticles. com/? The-Role-of-Mid-Managers-in-Driving-Excellence&id=3290594 Gilbert-Jamison, T. (2009). Leadership through accountability - the five essentials. Retrieved from http: //ezinearticles. com/? Leadership-Through-Accountability---The-5 -Essentials&id=2195094 Hasan, N. (2007). How to delegate effectively. Retrieved from http: //www. dirjournal. com/guides/how-to-delegate-effectively/ Gilbert-Jamison, T. (2009). Six ways to kill employee empowerment. Retrieved from http: //ezinearticles. com/? 6 -Ways-to-Kill-Employee-Empowerment&id=3096666 Gilbert-Jamison, T. (2009). Four reasons managers don't empower employees. Retrieved from http: //ezinearticles. com/? 4 -Reasons-Managers-Dont-Empower-Employees&id=3096546 Prosen, R. (2006). Top seven ways leaders create accountability. Retrieved from http: //top 7 business. com/? Top-7 -Ways-Leaders-Create-Accountability&id=2215
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