Accountability.
A word that strikes fear into the hearts of some folks.
Does that mean I’m on the hook for something? Does that mean as a manager I’m going to have to be the micromanager or be micromanaged by my VP?
Accountability gets a bad rap.
It’s not about making people do things for the sake of doing things. That’s a knee jerk reaction. It’s why reps don’t like to hear it and it’s why managers (especially newer ones) feel like they are micromanaging when they have to push their teams to get things done.
Those assumptions are all about holding reps accountable. In reality, it goes both ways.
Accountability for a manager should be about showing up prepared, following up when you said you would and showing the team that you’re holding yourself to the same standard.
Because you lead by example, right?