Stop Repeating Yourself and Start Leading

Have you ever worked with a leader who lost their credibility? Maybe they ignored an employee’s bad attitude for so long that it rippled through the entire team. Or they gained a reputation for never starting meetings on time. Credibility is decided in the little moments as much as it is in the big ones, and one of the most important ways to manage your credibility is by holding people accountable. Today on The Champion Forum Podcast, we’re talking about the gap between what is being said and what is actually being enforced. You’ll learn what real accountability looks like and the right way to give it.

Leaders are faced with a choice every time…

• A tough conversation needs to happen

• A standard is violated

• Someone underperforms

• Or tension enters the room

Their choice is to address the problem or avoid it. Either way, their action influences their credibility, both with the employee they need to address and those who notice that they didn’t.

Stop Counting to Three

Everyone has seen a parent count to three, which means you’ve probably also seen a lot of parents invent more numbers between one and three than there usually are. When you give warnings, especially ones that are inconsistent, people adapt and recognize that they can push the envelope before you actually respond. 

Leaders do this by saying:

• ‘We need to hit our deadlines.’

• ‘This behavior isn’t acceptable.’

• ‘I expect better communication.’

But when it doesn’t happen, you count. Or, in other words, you delay, wait, and hope the problem fixes itself. The outcome is that your team is learning how far they can push before you truly care about their shortcomings. And the outcome is that over time, you lose credibility.

Q: Where am I currently giving repeated warnings instead of taking action? What standard have I communicated but not consistently enforced?

The Shift

Leaders are often afraid that they will be viewed as “harsh” or “unfair” if they have accountability conversations. However, clarity and consistency are not harsh. Strong leaders don’t have to threaten people or repeat themselves endlessly. They ensure that everyone is on the same page and that expectations and consequences are clear before further action is taken.

Q: Have you ever worked with a leader who was harsh? What did they do that made you feel that way? Do you think they did a good job holding people accountable? Why or why not? How do you think your team would change if you started holding people accountable?

Application Activity:

Identify one area where you have said something without enforcing it or addressed a problem, but didn’t follow through. Next, clarify the expectation. What does ‘good’ look like? What is acceptable? What isn’t? Finally, have the conversation. If this is uncomfortable for you, try using this script:

“Hey, I want to revisit something we’ve talked about. This matters, and I haven’t been as clear or consistent as I need to be. Moving forward, here’s the expectation…(state the expectation clearly)” 

And finally, follow through. If you say there will be a consequence, enforce it. Because credibility is not built in what you say, but in what you do afterward.