Managers and supervisors often struggle with holding employees accountable. The trick to accountability is, in part, understanding that no one can make or force someone else to be accountable.
If we begin to look at accountability as a personal sense of ownership of outcomes, results, and consequences, each individual is responsible for being accountable. Managers and supervisors can cultivate, encourage, promote, and reward accountability, but they cannot force it. Among the most effective tools they can use are expectations.
How to Set Clear Expectations
Expectations go by many names. We can call them goals, objectives, KPIs, metrics, or guidelines. Here are some tips for creating expectations that foster and inspire accountability:
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Work jointly with employees to set expectations. Even when there are established goals associated with a job or role, supervisors can include employees in deciding how, when, and even where a goal will be achieved. When people are involved in setting expectations, buy-in and true accountability almost always improve.
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Align expectations with organizational goals, mission, and values. Expectations should cascade through the organization, so that people can see how their work ties to the bigger picture. When this is done well, departments build their goals around organizational goals and then set individual performance expectations that support departmental goals.
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Tie individual expectations to personal professional goals when possible. If an employee wants to learn a new skill, interact with customers, or collaborate with another part of the organization, seek expectations that allow the employee to grow and develop in areas that interest them.
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Provide ongoing feedback and support. It’s easy to adopt a set-it-and-forget-it approach, and for some people, a hands-off strategy works well. Overall, regular check-ins, including adjusting expectations based on changes in business needs, priorities, time constraints, staffing, etc., will help employees stay connected and committed.
SMART Goals
A great example of an expectation is a SMART goal. These have been around for a long time, and for good reason. They include all the elements that promote or encourage accountability. A SMART goal is:
Each SMART goal expressly states the S, M, and T – what the expectation is, how it is measured, and the time frames associated with it. The A and the R are taken into consideration and can be part of a dialogue when writing and communicating the expectation. SMART goals are especially helpful when someone is struggling and needs clear direction, but they can be used anytime for important responsibilities.
Employers Council offers training courses to build skills in setting expectations, fostering accountability, and managing performance. The following are some classes to consider:
For Consulting and Enterprise members, Employers Council HR consultants are available to advise and assist with all aspects of performance management. Contact us at info@employerscouncil.org.
Kim Robinson is a human resources consultant for Employers Council.