Most organizations think they have an accountability problem. They actually have a clarity problem. Here's how to tell the difference — and fix it.
One pattern I see repeatedly with leadership teams isn't a lack of accountability. It's a lack of clarity.
Recently, I worked with a team that had a Quarterly Rock everyone supported. The problem?
No one could clearly define what success looked like.
The Rock sounded important, but it wasn't specific enough to answer simple questions:
• How will we measure progress?
• How do we know if it's on track?
• When is it complete?
• Who is accountable for what?
As a result, leaders made different assumptions, teams pulled in different directions, and progress discussions became subjective.
The irony is that most organizations think they have an accountability problem when they actually have a clarity problem.
A well-defined Quarterly Rock should make success obvious. If the finish line isn't clear, accountability becomes almost impossible.
Before asking whether a Quarterly Rock is on track, ask a different question: Would every member of the leadership team recognize success in exactly the same way?
If you're wondering whether clarity is creating drag in your organization, let's have a conversation.
Have a great week,
Ron
Does this resonate with you?
Ron works with IT services and growth-stage companies to build the leadership clarity and execution discipline that drives results.
Reach out to Ron