Every leader has faced the frustration of an employee who slacks off, shows up late, or drags down the team. After 20+ years of coaching leaders, I know that holding people accountable is one of your toughest hurdles. It’s tempting to look the other way and hope they’ll shape up, but avoiding the issue only weakens your confidence and chips away at the team’s culture.
Here’s how to start holding your team accountable. 👇
1️⃣ Start With the Source.
Do you have an employee who consistently is late or leaves early? Nip it in the bud NOW. Meet with that employee to discuss it. Often, leaders address it as a team problem ("We all need to get to work on time"). Fact: the only people who will hear that message are the high performers who always adhere to the schedule anyway.
2️⃣ Be Specific.
If your employee isn't completing assigned tasks or doesn't contribute to the team, document, document, document. Saying, "On these specific projects, you did not complete your assigned tasks," is much more effective than "you don't complete assigned tasks," so document specific examples.
3️⃣ Help Overcome Barriers.
I once had an employee who was late every day. We sat down to discuss her lateness -she explained that her kids went to different schools. I stressed how the team needed to be on time, and we discussed a number of options. Ultimately, we changed her start time to 8:30 a.m., and she took a half-hour lunch break rather than an hour. Problem solved.
4️⃣ Explain The Why.
In healthcare, when an employee is late, patient care is affected. And when one person doesn't pull their weight, the team's morale is affected. Help the employee understand how their behavior impacts the team and the people they serve.
5️⃣ Set Clear Expectations.
Being super flexible with the rules and your expectations of the employee isn't helpful to either of you. If you need a project completed by a specific date, clarify it to them. Tell them when you expect them to finish the project on time and stick to your word.
6️⃣ Follow Through.
Finally, the most challenging part for many leaders is following through on your word. It's the most crucial part of this process and is often neglected by leaders. If you set consequences but don’t follow through, don’t expect your employee's behavior to change.
Holding employees accountable can be time-consuming and frustrating, but doing so consistently will make your job as a leader much more effortless. ✅
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