Sent: September 9
From: CEO
To: Executive Team
Subject: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas
Team,
Per our 2019 strategic plan, we were supposed to have a timeline worked out for the new warehouse in Texas. At our last meeting, we agreed that you all would get together to agree on something and put it in writing so we could review.
Let’s set up a meeting for later this week to see where we are. Thanks.
Sent: September 10
From: Tom T.
To: CEO
Subject: RE: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas
Hey Boss Man,
My bad. I meant to set up that meeting but didn’t do it because Jane was unavailable on the day we wanted to meet. Sorry, I’ll get right on that. Let’s hold off on the bigger meeting till we have something to show you. No worries, we’re on it!
Tom
Sent: September 10
From: Jane
To: CEO
Subject: RE: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas
John,
I meant to bring this to your attention, so my apologies for having forgotten. Tom was going to set up a meeting, but then some of us had conflicts with the date, but he never rescheduled. I’ll make sure we get someone on the calendar to discuss.
Jane
Sent: September 24
From: CEO
To: Executive Team
Subject: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas
Hey Guys,
I heard from Tom T. and Jane that you all were going to meet to go over the timeline for the new warehouse. Did that ever happen? Remember when we met in January for our strategic planning that we wanted to have it operational by June of 2019. I’m a little worried we will bump up against the date if we don’t get moving soon! Thanks in advance for your attention to this matter.
John
Sent: September 25
From: Tom T.
To: CEO
Subject: RE: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas
Sorry, Boss. We got waylaid with the new order from Amazon that came in last week. I’ll get right on it!
Tom
Sent: September 26
From: Jane
To: CEO
Subject: RE: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas
John,
Tom T. has not set up that meeting that he promised a few weeks ago. Would you like me to set it up for everyone?
Jane
Sent: September 30
From: CEO
To: Jane
Subject: RE: RE: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas
Sure. I’d like to meet first of next month about it, so if you guys could get on it, that will work.
John
Sent: October 21
From: CEO
To: Executive Team
Subject: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas Guys,
Did you ever meet to come up with the timeline? I would like to review so we can get moving because Finance told me we need to make some budget commitments if we’re really doing this thing.
Thanks
Sent: October 30
From: Tom T.
To: CEO
Subject: RE: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas
Boss, we’re on it. Last meeting got canceled because Finance didn’t get us the budget numbers, so will get it scheduled ASAP.
Tom
Sent: December 1
From: CEO
To: Exec. Team
Subject: Launch Date for New Warehouse in Texas Hey guys,
I never heard back from anyone on the plan. Let’s plan to address it in our December 15 budget meeting. We’ll just add some time to that meeting.
Sent: January 15
From: CEO
To: Executive Team
Subject: Strategic Planning Meeting Team,
It’s that time of year again to plan for our strategic planning session.
Like last year, let’s take a day to review what we’ve accomplished and look at what we need to do going forward. We’ll need to decide what we’re doing about the new warehouse since we didn’t get it into the budget for 2019 and we didn’t get to talk about it at our December meeting. Did we ever get that timeline? Just bring it to our strat plan meeting, and we can decide to move forward or push the decision out till the fall.
Thanks,
John
LET’S GET REAL
In the workplace, “stuff” happens to get in the way of the “stuff” we said we wanted to do. Sometimes it’s important stuff; most of the time it’s not. Accountability-free workplaces are fun for everyone; no one is really held accountable for anything other than what they want to do each day. Chaos sets in when you have everyone marching to the beat of their own drum—and plans become meaningless.
Accountability starts with leadership. If the CEO can’t hold people accountable, why should anyone else? Employees will watch what the leader does and do the same. If it doesn’t fit with their values or style, they will leave. Unfortunately for most companies, good employees will not hang out at a place that is devoid of accountability. They don’t want to be measured by and against people who aren’t accountable. Fundamentally, they want to succeed. If you never know where the goal post is, how can you succeed? You can’t—because anything goes.
Our hapless John is not an atypical leader. He asks for things, and he sort of knows what he wants done, but he mimics his employees’ bad behavior. So, which came first, the chicken or the egg? Lack of leader accountability or follower accountability?
First, he sets no specifics or dates for when he expects something—so why should anyone else? Second, he makes it sound like whatever he is asking for is optional or “whenever they get around to it.” Third, he doesn’t bother to follow up in a timely manner, so why should they? Lastly, there are absolutely no consequences for NOT delivering on the most basic of requests, a timeline for a new project. There were no consequences for missing the opportunity of the warehouse—if it was even a real opportunity.
When holding people accountable, the three elements to look for are awareness, ability, and commitment. When something doesn’t happen, make sure the person or persons are aware of what the expectation is and when you expect to get it. Next, make sure they have the ability to do what it is you are asking of them. Lastly, check that you have commitment from all parties involved.
At the executive leadership level, we can likely expect that they are aware and also have the ability. In John’s case, it was likely a lack of commitment by his entire team to get it done. John’s inability to hold them accountable potentially cost the organization a strategic move. Ultimately, lack of accountability will cost companies money, people, and jobs.
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