Great New Managers Are Accountable

Great New Managers Are Accountable

Some new managers are so focused on making sure their team members do everything right, they neglect to take a close look at their own behavior. When things go wrong, they blame the team. But, guess what, new managers?   Great new managers are accountable.

Management Accountability Matters
How do you know if great new managers are accountable?  Great managers manage themselves before managing others.

New manager training talks a lot about accountability — taking responsibility for one’s actions and owning the tasks you have been assigned. When leaders are not accountable, everything slips — delivery schedules, project deadlines, and, eventually, the trust of colleagues, and team morale.

Are You a Good Role Model?
Because great new managers are accountable, you need to make sure you are both setting the right example and also demanding that team members do what they say they will do.   That means everyone being responsible for their actions, feelings, decisions, opinions, and all the ensuing results.  Responsibility is at the top of the Manager “word cloud” above.

It matters a lot that managers set the example. If you struggle with a culture of accountability, you can bet your team members will struggle as well. You certainly do not want your leaders to undermine the performance of their teams.

Five Steps to Improve Personal and Team Accountability
Based upon leadership simulation assessment and people manager assessment center data, great new managers are accountable by taking these steps to improve individual and team accountability.

1. Admit the Problem
   It all starts with personal integrity as a leader.  Think through the last six months and list the times you reneged on a promise or did not deliver as agreed. Pledge to honor commitments without fail for the next three months and share your progress.
2. Under-Promise So You Can Over-deliver
   Be thoughtful about the goals that you set and the commitments you make to be sure you have enough time and resources to deliver as promised.
3. Track Promises and Results
   Set up a transparent culture and system whereby you keep track of the commitments you make. Review and monitor progress regularly. Check them off when completed.
4. Share Your Progress and Goals with Your Team
   Show the team that you are making a sincere (and successful) effort to be 100% accountable. New managers are often mistakenly afraid of appearing vulnerable. However, the fact that you are human and making an effort to improve your behavior makes you more approachable and worthy of respect.
5. Require the Same of Your Team
   Set clear performance and behavior expectations for individuals and the team as a whole. Then establish accountability as a necessary and required attribute for team success. Make it clear that there will be proportionate consequences for those who don’t deliver.

The Bottom Line
The best managers understand that they can’t ask more of their team than they ask of themselves. Want accountability on your team? Make sure you model and require individual and team accountability.

To learn more about being an effective new manager, download The 6 Management Best Practices that Make the Difference Between Effective and Extraordinary