The excitement continued to build over the weeks. I had been offered an “early out.” Not exactly golden parachute, but enough that I could leave the corporate pressures behind. I had plans that ranged from re-upholstering my mom’s kitchen chairs to fulfilling my one life purpose on earth (which had yet to be determined). I calculated that I had enough vacation left to leave three weeks before my actual off payroll date. Yeee Ha!
I walked out of the towering steel and glass building looking forward to a refreshing three week road trip, visiting all those people I had been too busy to visit. I stopped everywhere, read every historical marker, re-connected with my inner self and others. Freedom was a sweet taste in my mouth that tickled all the way down to my toes. And when the road trip was over I came home ready to fulfill my one life purpose on earth.
I woke up in my own comfy bed that first morning and snuggled down in the covers, knowing that I could sleep in if I wanted. I hadn’t set the alarm. Luxury. Surrounded by the pure freedom of my life, I gradually begin to wake up. My brain begin to function. I realized….that no one cared even I even got out of bed. There were no deadlines to meet. No one would be reprimanding if I didn’t meet a goal or submit a report. There would not be 200 emails to answer, 40 voice mails to return and 12 people lining up at my door for answers. The world wouldn’t come to an end if I didn’t accomplish something.
Then I realized. No..one..cared..if..I..got..out..of..bed. No one cared. No one would miss me. No one needed me. If I never got out of bed, no one even knew. No one.
Faced with the great vaccum of nothingness, the previous motivation for fulfilling my one life purpose on earth seemed daunting, unreachable, unattainable. Vague.
Quickly, I needed to find a way to be accountable to someone or something. To have someone to disappoint if I didn’t find and do whatever it was that I needed to do with my life from here on out. To have a reason to get out of bed.
Fast forward to today. I just completed a call with my two Accountability Partners. Special Christian businesswomen who challenge me to keep on track with what I need to be doing to fulfill my one life purpose on earth as well as other more concrete business goals.
Between that first morning at home as a recently jettisoned corporate contributor and a free agent many things have occurred. Essential to where I am now was creating a structure of accountability for my new life. Not so different than my previous life…hmmm.
Whether you are developing yourself into a whole new era of your existence, or developing people in a corporate setting, accountability has to be built into the plan. Total freedom without accountability is never productive. Is never fulfilling. Is never motivating.
Companies like to talk about empowerment – e.g. freedom – but without the balance of accountability it is like driving a car with one flat tire. You will not get very far before you are forced to come to a dead stop.
Think about this:
As trainers, how do you hold individuals accountable for not only learning, but also build in accountability for demonstrating the learning on the job?
As supervisors, how do you hold individuals accountable for producing, improving and developing to their highest potential?
As leaders, how to do you hold each team member accountable for working together as a productive unit who focuses on the mission?
From my perspective, there are four simple steps to ensuring accountability:
- Communicate expectations
- Follow up
- Provide feedback
- Initiate consequences
Communicate expectations – Let people know what you expect. One of my accountability partners said that my goals were not specific enough. I appreciated that. She expected that if she was spending time with me to help me be accountable, that I would hold myself to a higher standard. So right!
In organizations, we must tell people exactly what we expect, then allow them the freedom to accomplish it. We need to be specific, whether in a training class or as the CEO.
Follow up – In the first meeting with my accountability partners one suggested that we meet again in 30 days. We quickly decided that that was too long. Left to our own devices, we could easily get off track. We decided to tighten up our follow up times. It worked better.
In organizations, we often put off follow up. We get busy, distracted, overwhelmed. Lack of follow up communicates that the expectation wasn’t really that important.
Provide feedback – People should know where they stand. Be truthful. Be prompt in providing feedback. Reinforcement works. Whether we recognize good behavior or allow wrong behavior to continue, we encourage the continuation of the behavior we reinforce. Humans thrive on recognition, reinforcement and motivation.
As accountability partners, we tell each other when we have done well…with excitement and sometimes loud cheers over the phone. We are also gut level honest when we need to be. No fear, absolute trust, good intent. These are essential when giving feedback in any situation.
Initiate consequences – Match the consequences to the behavior. Corporations often are void of consequences, for either good or poor behavior. While a promotion isn’t always possible for the best employees, good projects, more opportunity and significant recognitions can be implemented. Poor behavior requires consequences to deter it early. Ignore it to your own corporate peril.
Consequences with the accountability partners will also be significant. Good “press,” referrals, collaboration…the sky’s the limit. If we aren’t accountable, the group will fall apart, respect will be lost and the future will not be so bright. Plus no one will care if I get out of bed.
Accountability. It’s a good thing. Balanced with freedom it makes the world go ‘round. (and you thought it was love) So as you snuggle down under the covers and hesitate to set the alarm, ask yourself:
If no one cared if you got out of bed in the morning, what would you do?
© Linda M. Farley www.LMFarley.com LMF@onr.com
Follow Me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/LindaFarley
