Emergent Leaders Newsletter/050/Building a Culture of Accountability as a First-Time Leader

Imagine stepping into your first leadership role. You’re excited about making a difference and eager to build a team that excels. In your vision, your team members take ownership of their work, meet deadlines, and consistently strive for excellence. Each person understands their role, communicates openly, and supports one another in achieving common goals. There's a palpable sense of trust and mutual respect, where feedback is welcomed and acted upon. Everyone holds themselves and each other accountable, leading to high performance and job satisfaction. 

Real Life Leadership Challenges when it comes to team productivity 

Not that this idealistic vision can’t exist, however, the reality of leadership often presents challenges that can severely disrupt this ideal scenario. After all, while a leader may technically have all the right components to create a winning team, there are many factors that are not fully within their control (i.e. the human element of the team).  

As a new leader, you might encounter: 

• Inconsistent performance, where some team members may not meet expectations, which leads to frustration within the team, along with missed deadlines. 

• Lack of ownership. Certain employees might not take responsibility for their tasks, resulting in a consistent reliance on others to pick up the slack. 

• Poor communication, misunderstandings and lack of clarity leading to errors, delays and inefficiencies. 

• Resistance to feedback, where some team members might be resentful, defensive or dismissive when given constructive criticism. 

• Low morale, where a lack of accountability can create resentment among high-performing team members, reducing overall team morale. 

These challenges arise from a variety of factors, such as differing personalities, life circumstances, work ethics, unclear expectations, or a lack of trust within the team, amongst many others. The good news is that there are some actionable steps leaders can take to at least mitigate these potential issues so that your team’s productivity and success is more in alignment with your initial leadership vision while still providing positive workplace experiences for all involved.

Actionable Steps for Creating a Culture of Accountability 

Building a culture of accountability without resorting to authoritarian measures is essential for fostering a positive and productive work environment. Here are some simple steps leaders can take:

Set Clear Expectations by Clearly Defining Roles and Responsibilities  

Clearly outline each team member's role and what is expected of them. Use detailed job descriptions and translate them into required outcomes. For example, “You will know you are successful in this role if X, Y and Z comes to fruition within X time frame and within X budget”.

Establish Goals and Foster Open Communication 

Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for the team and individuals. This provides a clear direction and helps track progress. Encourage open and honest communication by creating an environment where team members feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns without fear of retribution. Hold a mix of regular one-on-one and team meetings to discuss progress, address issues, and provide feedback.  

Model Accountability and Lead by Example 

Demonstrate accountability in your actions by meeting your own deadlines, admitting mistakes, asking for help when necessary and taking responsibility for your work. This sets a standard for the team to follow. Share your decision-making process (or involve the team, as necessary) and be transparent about the expectations you have for yourself and the team. 

Provide Constructive Feedback and Encourage 2-way Conversations 

Offer feedback promptly, focusing on specific behaviors and outcomes rather than personal attributes. Highlight both strengths and areas for improvement. Encourage team members to provide feedback to you as well. Acting on their feedback will foster a culture of continuous improvement, mutual respect and trust. 

Empower Team Members to Encourage Ownership  

Give team members the autonomy to make decisions within their roles. Trusting them to take ownership of their tasks can boost confidence and accountability. Provide the necessary resources, training, and support to help team members succeed. As a leader, you can help address obstacles that may hinder their ability to take ownership and their work. 

Acknowledge Efforts and Celebrate Successes 

While a positive thing to do, many organizations struggle with this one as much as they do with holding difficult accountability conversations, but the impact of recognizing and celebrating meaningful successes as well as praising team members who show accountability and take initiative, can encourage others to do more of it.  

Address Issues Fairly and Consistently 

Implement fair and consistent consequences for lack of accountability. Address issues privately and constructively, focusing on behavior and solutions rather than punishment. Use conflict resolution techniques to handle disputes or grievances, ensuring that all parties feel heard and respected. 

By taking these steps, first-time leaders can build a culture of accountability that promotes trust, collaboration, and high performance. By incorporating these habits and more clarity around communication, not only will you address inconsistent performance and lack of ownership, but you will also foster a more positive work environment where team members feel valued and motivated to contribute their best efforts. 

Emergent Leaders Newsletter/048/ The Leader's Playbook for Dealing with Negative Team Members

Negativity in the workplace (or any team, for that matter) is like a virus. If left unchecked, it can spread rapidly and infect the morale and productivity of your entire team. But as a leader, is it really your job to manage toxic behavior and resulting conflicts? Regardless of your thoughts on this, the answer is “Yes”! 

"In every organization we belong to, we're (also) a part of a culture. And either you are contributing to that culture, or you are allowing it to be what it is." - Dr. Michael Gervais, Workplace culture expert 

In other words, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. And if you consider yourself an effective and successful leader, you had better be part of the solution.  

As you navigate your journey as a leader, this is unfortunately something you'll inevitably encounter because individuals with crappy attitudes are everywhere. So having a plan can at least open you up to being better prepared to have the conversation, rather than avoiding the issue all-together, at the detriment of the rest of the team. 

How to address the negativity on your team

Below I offer you a simple step-by-step guide to help you address the negativity on your team. Should you have any questions regarding more specific “how to” for any of these steps, feel free to reach out. Your HR representative is also a great resource to help guide you through these situations. 

Step 1: Recognizing Negative Attitudes 

Negative attitudes come in various forms, from constant complaining, gossiping and cynicism to resistance to change and undermining team efforts. Identifying these behaviors early on is crucial, and as you get to know your team members, you’ll most likely be able to anticipate the source of the negativity. Look for patterns, such as consistent criticism without constructive solutions, reluctance to collaborate, or a general sense of dissatisfaction. 

Step 2: Addressing Negativity Head-On 

As a leader, it's essential to address negative attitudes promptly and directly. Ignoring the issue won't make it disappear; in fact, it may escalate and affect the overall team dynamic. Schedule a private conversation with the team member to discuss your observations and the impact their behavior may be having on the team.  

Approach the conversation with empathy and curiosity rather than judgment. Seek to understand the root cause of their negativity – it could stem from personal issues, work-related frustrations, or misalignment with organizational values. They may simply not feel like they have the permission to “vent” to the boss rather than spread their venting to peers. It could also be that no one has ever called them on their behavior in the past and they simply don’t know how to manage their frustrations in more meaningful ways. Listen carefully and offer support where possible, whether through coaching, mentoring, or resources for personal development. Improving 2-way communication almost always resolves the issues. 

Step 3: Setting Clear Expectations 

During your conversation, clarify your expectations regarding behavior and attitude in the workplace. Emphasize the fact that a positive and collaborative environment is conducive to higher productivity and growth - 2 key factors in successful teams. Be specific about the behaviors you'd like to see change and provide examples to illustrate your point. Your feedback shouldn’t be personal, rather, it should be based on objective observations. 

Step 4: Consequences of Inaction 

Not addressing negative attitudes can be detrimental to your team and organization. While the negativity may not always be blatantly obvious, there are “side effects” of toxic behavior that will most likely be more noticeable.  

Here are some key indicators that negativity may be poisoning team morale 

• Decreased productivity as negative attitudes can drain team energy and focus. 

• Increased turnover because a toxic work environment will eventually drive away top talent who look for a more positive and supportive workplace culture. 

• Poorer team dynamics as the negativity breeds conflict and erodes trust among team members. 

• The effects of one individual's negativity can spread throughout the team, infecting others and perpetuating a cycle of discontent. Like a bad apple, if not removed from the bunch, the whole lot will go bad. 

Be the leader who actively creates a positive work environment  

As a leader, it's your responsibility to foster a healthy and inclusive work environment where every team member feels valued and respected. Don't shy away from addressing negative attitudes – confront them head-on with empathy, clear communication, and a commitment to positive change. 

Think of it this way: addressing negativity isn't just about mitigating individual behavior; it's about preserving the integrity and productivity of your entire team. By taking proactive steps to address negative attitudes, you'll not only support the growth and development of your team members, but you’ll also cultivate a workplace culture that benefits everyone. 

Emergent Leaders Newsletter/033/New Leaders: Avoid disappointment by Addressing the Execution Gap With Your Team

So, you’ve successfully defined your vision, you’ve clearly communicated it to your team members – and you now THINK they KNOW what to do and what’s expected of them. All that’s left to do is for people to go out there and DO THE WORK. But, as you've likely experienced, having others executing on YOUR vision can be challenging. Many new leaders find themselves and their teams stuck in the "execution gap" – the space between knowing what needs to be done and actually making it happen.

This week’s newsletter addresses some common hiccups new leaders face when it comes to bridging the execution gap and explores some strategies to help lead teams to take action.

Potential roadblock #1: Unclear Objectives 

Sometimes, the vision is clear, but the objectives are fuzzy. When it comes to describing the vision to your team, you can more or less picture it in your head: what the end-product will look like, what it will accomplish, who it will help, etc. However, the factors that would constitute the project a success aren’t as clear. And so, what happens isn’t necessarily that a team doesn’t execute on your vision, but rather, they execute on THEIR interpretation of your vision, which can be vastly different things. Each person will have their own perspective – and if you have a team of 8, well – that's potentially at least 8 different interpretations of your vision. This makes it incredibly difficult to get everyone moving in the same direction.  

Fix #1: Clarify Your Vision

Be as descriptive as possible, by including information such as quantifiable targets, time frames, benchmarking against past performance, relevance to all other objectives, measurable metrics, responsibility assignments, frequency of reporting, data sources, boundaries or tolerances, alignment with company values, etc. (you can check out John Doerr’s book “Measure What Matters” , which delves into this topic and is a fantastic reference guide.) 

To ensure your team understands the specific goals and outcomes you're aiming for, ask each of them to reframe what they understood from the assignment. By using their own words to verbalize their understanding, it will help them uncover holes in your vision or reveal some areas they need more clarity on. This is also a terrific opportunity for you to fine-tune the vision for everyone before all parties go off on their own to start executing on the vision.  

Potential roadblock #2: Inadequate Planning 

A common mistake new leaders tend to make is assuming their team members “just know" what to do and how to do it. Instructions are sent out and tasks are delegated, but no further planning or instruction is given.

Fix #2: Break down the project into smaller, actionable steps. 

Set realistic timelines and allocate resources effectively. Set time aside for the planning – this is often missed. The vision is created but the execution plan isn’t. So, as you set aside time to create the path to success, involve various stakeholders to ensure they will have the resources available to support your initiative within the time limit you want to get it done. All the planning in the world will not help if the pieces don’t fit. One last thing: if the course set out is new, I strongly suggest carving a more specific path in collaboration WITH your team, with more bite-sized steps. Why? Because team members are more likely to not get overwhelmed and get stuck in delays when they know EXACTLY what needs to be completed, and when it feels more manageable.  

Potential roadblock #3: Lack of Communication 

For some reason, so many leaders are afraid to “over communicate” out of fear of annoying their team members. I’m here to tell you that I have yet to meet anyone who feels that their leaders over communicate. On the other side, leaders also tend to complain about not learning about potential delays or issues from their direct reports until deadlines are looming.  So not only do leaders tend to under-communicate, but they also complain about the fact that their teammates do the same. Ha! 

Fix #3: Clear and consistent 2-way/open communication 

Clear communication is the glue that holds a team together. As a leader, it’s up to you to model the desired behaviors. Regularly update your team on progress, challenges, and adjustments to the plan. Not only will your team members NOT be annoyed, but they'll be grateful to have a transparent leader. Anticipate potential roadblocks and have contingency plans in place. And communicate that you expect the same level of transparency from your direct reports. Make it safe for them to come to you with challenges or issues. This doesn’t mean problem-solving for them. Sometimes, they just need a sounding board or confirmation to move forward confidently.  

Potential roadblock #4: Resistance to change 

New initiatives often face resistance. This is 100% normal – even when a change will bring about a better outcome for the team.  

Fix #4: Empathy 

Approach the situation with some empathy. Remember what it was like to be in your team members’ shoes. Some team members might have legitimate reasons to be concerned. Knowing you will absolutely get push-back from some, anticipate (or ask them about) their concerns and address them together. If change is inevitable, asking open-ended questions like “How would this have to be implemented for you to be comfortable or accepting of the change?” or “What parts are you resisting to/which ones are you can you live with?” This way you are still making clear that the change will happen, but you are also opening the door for their input on a potentially easier or better transition. Be as open to different possibilities as you are asking your team members to be. Encourage your team members to think about how they will personally benefit from the change and help them foster a sense of ownership. The news will land differently if they are given the space to process and are re-directed to think about the potential positive aspects. News around change will also land differently if your team members know you have their backs and will be there to support them throughout the shift. 

Potential Roadblock #5: Lack of Continuous Improvement 

I get this all the time from leaders (and experience this myself when it comes to having to learn new technologies). The initial time demands on top of the awkwardness that comes with learning something new is enough to make anyone dread learning a new skill.  

Fix #5: Creating a culture of learning and adaptability  

If a project or initiative requires learning vastly different skills, giving team members a grace period to learn a specific skill sets that will serve them is the kind thing to do. I completely get that it is not always possible, but if the learning curve is factored into the strategic plan, it mentally gives your team members some breathing room and is less likely to create some tension and delays from inaction. Part of creating a culture of learning and adaptability is creating conditions within the workday to make space for it and respecting that space on a regular basis.  

By incorporating these strategies into your leadership approach, you'll not only help bridge the execution gap when it comes to getting team work completed, but it will also create a foundation for your team’s long-term success.

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If you are looking for a more customized leadership development experience, leadership coaching may be the better option to get you to your professional development goals faster. Book a complimentary “Discovery Call” to discuss your goals and see if working with a leadership coach might be the way to go. 

Emergent Leader Newsletter/002/Holding Your Team Members Accountable without the "ick"

Read time: 5 minutes 

If your employee is repeatedly not performing to the level you are expecting, you may be partly to blame. 

Here is the problem: I would be willing to guess that you believe that you give clear instructions when delegating AND/OR you’re avoiding going through with the consequences of an unfulfilled performance management plan (if there is one in place) – either way – it’s not them, it’s you. 

Don’t believe me? 

How many of the following strategies do you employ to mitigate the effects or gaps in the less-than-stellar quality of work output from your weakest performer? 

• Do you tend to put in a few extra hours to clean up their work yourself? 

• Do you tend to avoid delegating higher-stakes tasks/projects to certain individuals? 

• Do you continually skip over the same individuals’ name when promotions come up? 

• Do you exclude certain people’s input or take it less seriously than others’ on the team? 

• Does your energy shift in a negative way in a particular individual’s presence? 

When leaders come to me about an under-performer on their team, my first question is always. “Have you explicitly communicated your concerns with this employee?”. Shockingly (well, not so much anymore), the answer is often “not really”. 

What’s at the root of most under-performers?  

The truth is most employees don’t even know that their work is sub-par. Not kidding. It’s that simple. While they may feel that something is off, they are often left in the dark about how their boss really feels about the mediocre quality of their work. The most common clues they get that signal to something isn’t quite right, come from noticing they aren’t included in major projects or being used for significant tasks. With time, they notice that they are constantly being passed up for promotions, or worse yet: they are let go!  

In fact, here is how most people handle the under-performing employee:  

• They avoid the conversation all-together (they talk themselves out of thinking they are the right person to have the conversation with the employee in the first place);  

• They justify the undesirable result with reasons that are out of their control (for example, the individual was sick or away) and convince themselves that whatever factor got in the way this time won’t be a factor next time. 

• They find reasons to delay (this can be hidden behind excuses like “I need more info,”; “I’m just waiting to another individual to get back to me.”; “I don’t want to disrupt them in their work,”; “I don’t have time right now.” “I don’t think they mean anything by it” and “I’m sure it will get resolved with time and experience.” 

• They face it head-on but it’s awkward, rushed and nothing is really done to educate or prevent deficient performance from happening again in the future. 

Now, before you start being too hard on yourself, just know you are not the alone. The majority of small to medium organizations don’t have a process in place. And unfortunately, because there is no process in place, the unproductive cycle persists.  

Here’s how I would handle it: 

1. Make the decision that from now on, you will take pro-active measures to ensure that the quality of work that comes back from all team members is exactly what it needs to be. 

2. Next, if you don’t already do this, set up regular weekly or bi-weekly 1-to-1's with all your direct reports. Book a time in your calendar, send them a calendar invite, along with brief talking points. By meeting more regularly, you can be more proactive about checking in on work you delegated. It also provides an opportunity for your team members to ask questions and ask for support required to be successful. To make this possible, you will most likely be best to block this time in your schedule (and theirs) well ahead of time (like, in quarterly batches). 

3. Prepare yourself mentally for the meeting. Take a few moments before the meeting to ground yourself. People tend to reflect the energy of others they engage with. As the leader, you get to set the tone for these meetings.  

4. Clear assumptions/labels you hold about each of your team members. We’re not as good at hiding our emotions as we would like to think we are. I have yet to meet someone who wakes up in the morning with the intention of ruining their boss’ day. Step into these conversations with the assumption that the other person is doing their best with the information they have. Don’t assume they “just know”. 

5. When the meeting begins, go over the talking points and make clear that this is a 2-sided discussion. Both sides will have an opportunity to ask questions and gain clarification around expectations. Let’s face it. Both sides want to be successful, and that’s usually dependent on successful completion of the task or project. See each other as allies after the same result rather than me vs them.  

6. To make sure there is a clear understanding of what is expected, do what Brené Brown calls “paint it done”. Describe in detail what the final task/project should look like, then ask the other person to describe what they picture in their minds from your description. Adjust as necessary. It is MUCH easier to hold someone accountable when expectations are clear (and documented). 

7. Ensure both parties walk away with what they need from the conversation and plan/book the next chat before the next project milestone to avoid any surprises. 

With time, you may be able to lift your foot off the pedal with some of your team members as they learn to work in a way that satisfies the organization’s needs. Though keep in mind, these 1-to-1's is not just for your own peace of mind. They are a way to ensure you regularly connect with each of your team members to support them so that they can do their best work, reducing the need for difficult conversations down the road. 

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Whenever you are ready, there are 2 other ways I can help you:

1. If you are still looking to further improve your leadership skills, let me recommend starting with an affordable course:

→ The New Leader’s Survival Guide: Time Management 

→  Stand Out From The Rest: Communicate Like An Effective Leader  

2.  If you are looking for a more customized leadership development experience, leadership coaching may be the better option to get you to your professional development goals faster. Book a complimentary “Discovery Call” to discuss your goals and see if working with a leadership coach might be the way to go.