3 Key Elements for Delivering Best Practice #3....Accountability

#3...Accountability

Today we discuss the 3rd and final element to deliver best practice, Accountability. Put simply, this is all about being accountable and responsible for the promises you make and the actions you sign up for.

Already you will notice that the three elements of best practice all tie in very closely with one another. Communication is all about telling people what they need to know and doing so on a timely basis. Documentation is committing to writing what it is that you promised to do or have done. Accountability is all about doing what you have said you will do.

There is nothing worse than someone who takes on a set of actions or makes promises and then doesn't deliver on them. This is a credibility killer! Doing that immediately puts into question your credibility and, as we know, once you lose trust you’ve lost the confidence and respect of the other party.

When managing escalations and disputes, clients will often tell me about the people who were involved before me and who made many promises yet some or none of them were delivered. There is a golden rule for anyone who has situations escalated to them, you don't want to be labeled or seen in the same light as anyone else who has failed to deliver on their promises.

Personally I work on the basis that I cannot make the same mistake and be seen as the same as those who have been involved previously. When I present myself to clients as the person to fix a situation, I am mindful that there are others who may have made exactly the same promises I have. For whatever reasons, my predecessors could not deliver on their promises. If I do the same then all that will happen is that I will end up being seen as another person who promised to solve everything and fixed nothing!

So here are my rules - I never commit to anything that I cannot deliver or where I think there is a chance that I can't deliver. I am very careful in how I word any commitments. For example rather than saying “I will have this sorted out for you this week, leave it to me” I would say “whilst I won't make a promise when this will happen, let me see if i can get something in place by the end of this week. I will let you know how I am going.” or words to that effect.

Further to that, if you have made a commitment to do something only to find that it is not going to get done in time for whatever reason, you must make sure that you communicate the change in status and reset expectations. People appreciate being kept informed and will be happier knowing that whilst things have changed, you have informed them and shared an update on the timeframe.

Don't underestimate the importance of setting expectations, but even more importantly resetting them - even when it is a situation that is not in escalation.

When it comes to being accountable, the words I don't ever want to hear someone say about me is "he is exactly the same as all the others". Again the simple message is don't tell people something that you can't deliver.

Accountability is about being responsible for what you promise and making sure you follow it though until completed. That doesn't mean you can't change your commitment along the way where needed, as long as you communicate to all of those who are expecting you to deliver the outcome. Your first step should be to document the commitment, then make sure you take the actions needed to meet expectations with plenty of time before the deadline. Lastly, communicate regularly, especially where there are changes to the plan and make sure you update everyone who needs to know.

Delivering best practice is hard work! It requires attention to detail and a commitment to maintain the highest standards, not just some of the time but all of the time. Just know that when you do it right, the results and reputation for doing it well are worth the effort.