Many leaders struggle to have accountability discussions get the right result. “Accountability” is a very common word these days because it is frequently done poorly. It often comes across as punitive. Leaders should feel more accountable for their own actions before blaming others.

This article outlines five principles of accountability that all begin with the letter “C.” These principles can help any leader do a better job in this critical area of performance management.

The five principles are:

1) Comprehensive and Balanced
2) Contribution
3) Care
4) Clarify Expectations
5) Collective Responsibility

Putting these five practices in play daily will improve the performance of any organization. Let’s see why it works.

Comprehensive and Balanced

This principle means that the leader must take the big picture of what is going on into account. Make sure that your feedback is balanced. Account for the good things they do as well as the times they fall short.

You destroy trust and rapport when you hold people accountable only when they fall short. Do not allow your accountability discussions to feel punitive to the employee. If most of the work done by an employee is positive, then most of the feedback should be positive.

Contribution

There may be a reason for falling short of expectations that is out of the control of the employee. Sometimes supervisor actions cause employees to fall short. Most people will do a good job if the culture is good. When supervisors micromanage people, they cause the shortfall within the workforce. They are often the root cause of the problems, yet they find it convenient to blame the workers.

Care

When giving feedback, treat the employee the way you would want to be treated if the situation was reversed. The Golden Rule provides excellent guidance in most cases. There are some rare exceptions where the Golden Rule breaks down. Suppose the leader enjoys being yelled at and confronted. If the manager demonstrates real care for the individual, the employee will usually respond well to the input.

You might say something like this. “The reason we are having this discussion is not to put you down or beat on you. I sincerely want you to do well and enjoy success. I care about you and want to enhance your reputation as much as possible.” You show you care as much by your body language as by what you say. Make sure you are sending the signals you want to send and check with the other person if there is any doubt.

Clarify Expectations

People must understand expectations to have any shot at meeting them. In some complex situations, you should write down what is to be done. Often, a failure to perform at the prescribed level can be traced to a misunderstanding between the supervisor and the employee.

Having the employee parrot back the expectation has the additional benefit in the event the deliverable is fuzzy. The supervisor can take the time to reiterate the specific deliverable before the employee attempts to do it. This saves time, money and reduces frustration.

Collective Responsibility

Stress that you and the employee are really on the same team. There is no need for you to be fighting each other.

Conclusion

These five C’s will help you create an environment where holding people accountable is more productive and effective. Try to remember these principles when you are dealing with the people in your life. Following the five C’s of accountability will make you a much more effective leader.

I have written other articles on aspects of accountability in the past. If you want more on this topic, try these articles:

• Trust and Accountability
• Leaders Must Accept Accountability.

Bob Whipple, MBA, CPTD, is a consultant, trainer, speaker, and author in the areas of leadership and trust. He is the author of four books: 1.The Trust Factor: Advanced Leadership for Professionals (2003), 2. Understanding E-Body Language: Building Trust Online (2006), 3. Leading with Trust is Like Sailing Downwind (2009), and 4. Trust in Transition: Navigating Organizational Change (2014). In addition, he has authored over 1000 articles and videos on various topics in leadership and trust. Bob has many years as a senior executive with a Fortune 500 Company and with non-profit organizations.

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