27 July
Accountability is an important part of any successful team and business; take it a step further by implementing closed-loop accountability and watch your business achieve excellence.
What closed-loop accountability looks like: Everyone working on a team is clear about what needs to get done by whom, when, and why. Employees are equipped with the right skills and mindsets to solve problems, instead of waiting to be told what to do. And there is disciplined follow-up to make sure actions were taken and the desired results achieved.
With closed-loop accountability a business is not only able to excel at execution, but also remain agile and functioning at a high speed. All things that are especially crucial in today’s landscape. Sounds like a pretty ideal scenario, doesn’t it?
If you are a leader or manager you have likely felt the need to tighten control and micromanage execution with current circumstances. In reality it is the exact opposite of that behavior that is going to lead your business towards excellence. Because conditions are so difficult, frontline employees need to take on more responsibility for execution, action, and collaboration.
If you want to implement closed-loop accountability in your business here are some conditions that must be in place:
- Clarity of expectations: everyone understands the established standards for acceptable work.
- Agreement on expectations: everyone understands the reason for the established standards and are willing to abide by them.
- Thorough training: everyone has been trained and fully equipped to perform to the established standards.
- Understanding consequences: everyone understands what will happen if their standards are not met.
- Follow-up from supervisors: supervisors follow through to see if employee’s performance meets the established standards.
- Feedback from supervisor: supervisors offer feedback and regular performance reviews.
- Meaningful consequences (both positive and negative): praise, more autonomy, more responsibility, promotion, pay raise, etc. OR constructive criticism, closer supervision, less responsibility, warnings, termination.
Once all these things are in place the only thing standing between you and closed-loop accountability is continual follow through on all of the above. It is not a “one and done” kind of situation – just like with anything else, you have to continually reinforce and ensure that the steps are followed.
Continue conversations with your team to make sure they remain clear on the pillars of closed-loop accountability:
- They know what needs to get done by whom, when, and why
- They are equipped with the right skills and mindsets to solve problems, instead of waiting to be told what to do
- There is disciplined follow-up to make sure actions were taken and the desired results achieved
Use closed-loop accountability to take your business to the next level. Not only will it improve your bottom line, it will improve your team and culture too.