LEADERSHIP ESSENTIALS:
How do you hold your remote teams accountable?
Hello Sheeba,
Especially in this new normal where so many of us have team members who are working remotely, keeping our teams accountable is a key element toward productivity.
It's impossible to drive to each person's house to check in and see how they're doing. Besides, we know as leaders that looking over peoples' shoulders isn't effective anyway.
So what can you do to keep your team accountable?
Set Clear Agreements Around Accountability. People do not often like the word accountability and yet it is an important part of leadership. Accountability goes hand in hand with ensuring that action plans that are discussed actually occurs. Otherwise, it becomes all talk and no action. So, having clear agreements with the team around how they would like to be held accountable regarding their action items is an effective, collaborative method to have in place.
Schedule online check-ins. More and more of us are discovering the merits of video conferencing to maintain contact while working remotely, but meeting only occasionally or randomly can actually cause more stress on your team. Having regularly scheduled online meetings that your team can plan for will help them find routine and also give them a specific expectation for when they will need to address their progress. This will help them stay motivated to produce results each week.
Clear consequences. At the end of the day, the duties of a strong leader are not always pretty. If you notice a member of your team consistently under-performing, it will fall to you to have a one-on-one conversation outlining both your expectations moving forward and what the consequences will be should the productivity not improve. Be sure that this is an actual conversation though. I encourage you to not simply talk at your team member, but ask them what has been hindering them as well. Take the time to find out what kind of support and/or resources are needed for improvement to occur.
Whether your teams are working remotely or not, accountability is important and when this is disregarded by the leader, it will impact the whole team. So, what is one step you can take to hold your remote or non-remote teams accountable?
COACHING QUESTIONS
- What expectations have you set with your team around accountability?
- Do you feel comfortable setting consequences for your team members?
- How often do you feel you should host check-ins with your team?
Did You Know?
LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT
Curtis Rogers
Curtis Rogers is a 7-year-old boy who didn't want to see his babysitter miss out on her senior prom due to the nation-wide shelter-in-place order. So, he (with a little help from his mother) set up an entire prom experience, complete with a "promposal" sign that read "Mini prom is not today, but will you join me on Monday."
He put on a suit with a bow-tie. His babysitter, 17-year-old Rachel Chapman, donned a lovely pink dress and they enjoyed a meal of her favorite treats and some music in the backyard - adhering to social distancing mandates of course.
Even with so many disappointments for seniors this year, Curtis definitely gave Rachel an unforgettable memory!
LEADERSHIP RESOURCE
Hold Your Team Accountable by Ben Brearly
Many managers have trouble motivating their teams, and The Thoughtful Leader believes that this is due to a lack of accountability. So, they have published this book by MBA Ben Brearly that is full of tips on how to successfully build accountability within your team. Order your copy here.
FREE LEADERSHIP QUIZ
How Well Do You Lead?
Leadership is having the desire and ability to develop and grow in your response-agility toward people and situations you find yourself in every day. When you are able to do this effectively, you are able to expand your leadership presence, communicate effectively, listen deeper, and develop those around you.
However, how well do you lead?
Sheeba Varghese is a Professional Certified Coach, speaker, and mentor to many. Her passion is to inspire and equip men and women to lead with excellence and authenticity within the spheres of influences that they are called to impact in life. The spheres may be in a home, on a team, in a classroom, among partners in a firm, or within management, to name a few.
In her time apart from clients, Sheeba enjoys time with her husband, Santosh, and their 2 sons, Sam and Steven. She loves great movies, a good book, decorating and eating at the wonderful restaurants of San Francisco.
|
