Accountability and Empowerment Tools
Of all the tools to instill accountability within an organization, the “Accountability Ladder” is my favorite and you can find several versions of this online. In conjunction with the Accountability Ladder, shown on the top, is another ladder that goes hand-in-hand with it, shown on the bottom, and that is the Ladder of Achievement (aka Ladder of Success). Several versions of this can also be found online. I like to think of it as an empowerment tool.
Both of the ladders shown are the ones that I first started using several years ago at Applied Materials. My manager not only had them taped to his wall beside his desk, he also printed them out and gave them to each of us. There was no being a victim when meeting with Charlie. It was straight and to the point. GOWI, and “I did” was our mantra.
I encourage managers to use these templates when meeting with employees. Having them as visible physical reminders of which behaviors are acceptable and productive, and which are not is a great way to keep the conversation focused on achieving a solution. If you detect victim-oriented behavior, using the Accountability Ladder, challenge the employees to tell you which level of behavior they are modeling. Keep it positive and light-hearted. Use it as a teaching tool, not as a cudgel.
For the Ladder of Achievement, when meeting with employees and discussing projects or tasks, I listen very carefully to hear how they begin their sentences. If I hear one of the lead-ins shown on the ladder, I will ask the employees to tell me at which percentage they are. If they are honest in the response, then the next question is to ask what their plan is to get to 100%. Putting the onus on the employees to identify their percent of engagement in a task is a great way to get them to see the importance of accountability, and a great way to get them to hold themselves accountable.
I have been using these Ladders for over thirty years, and wherever I go, they are always part of my initial presentations to employees and managers. I love it when after having presented the ladders and sending them out; I see them taped to office walls or on team bulletin boards throughout the organization. Having visible reminders of what accountability and initiative means helps to inculcate those behaviors into the organization’s culture.
Please let me know if you have had success using these or other tools of accountability and empowerment to build an energetic, enthused, engaged workforce and also feel free to share your best practices to help other managers learn.
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