Rule #1: Get It in Writing
Project team accountability begins with each member knowing their exact role and responsibilities. To be fair to all, and allow people to truly be accountable, there needs to be a documented process. This is form many reasons, however the most obvious is that things that don’t get written down tend not to get accomplished.
I once worked on a team which was assembled to address the problem of inordinate “down time” at a trucking company. Breakdowns and mechanical problems were out of control and there were times when as much as 35% of the truck fleet was out of service. This affected the company’s ability to serve its customers and it generated losses which went straight to the bottom line.
After spending less than two hours in the terminal I was able to make one simple suggestion that would later prove to solve most of the controllable maintenance issues that came up every day.
I observed that as drivers returned from their trips they parked their truck and hopped out of the cab. If they saw a mechanic nearby the driver would call out, “Hey Joe, my heater isn’t working,” or, “Hey Mike, there’s a grinding noise when I shift into 3rd gear.” The mechanic would holler back “OK, I’ll look at it,” and that would be that.
How in the world was the mechanic going to remember all of these problems? The fact was that he couldn’t and many of the trucks were going out the next day with the same problems that they came in with.
All we did was design a maintenance request form. The driver was required to fill one out at the end of each trip and turn it in with the rest of their paperwork.
The back office logged all maintenance requests and sent a copy of the form to the shop. The shop logged all requests, performed the repairs and sent the completed ticket back to the office where it was matched with the original report.
If a driver had no maintenance problems then he was required to fill out the form and check the “no problems” box. This was to ensure that the driver didn’t simply forget to fill in a form after his trip.
Sounds simple, right? Very often the hardest problems are solved in the easiest ways. The lesson to be learned here is that writing something down makes it “official”. It breathes life into it. The issue goes from being a vague concept to an entity requiring attention. It creates responsibility and it assigns accountability. The same is true for a team.
Not only does “getting it in writing” mean that there is a better chance that the action will really get performed, but it means that you have built in “protection” in case someone wants to come back and question why or how you did something.
If you are responsible for assigning tasks, and you verbally assign one, then follow it up ASAP with a written memo or e-mail.
Likewise, if you are verbally assigned a task, and you don’t receive written confirmation shortly thereafter, then there is no reason why you can’t follow up with a written memo or e-mail.
Here are some examples:
If you were the person who had issued the assignment then you would send this memo:
At the staff meeting today it was decided that you would be responsible for assembling the list of product descriptions for the notebook computer product line. Each description should be at least 250 words and you can use the manufacturer’s web site to gather the information.
These descriptions should be added to the product database no later than 11/21. Please let me know if you have any questions or problems.
There is little chance for misunderstanding that assignment and a good chance that it won’t get “forgotten” since it is in writing.
If you were the person who had received that assignment then you could send this slightly modified version:
At the staff meeting today it was decided that I would be responsible for assembling the list of product descriptions for the notebook computer product line. Each description should be at least 250 words and you stated that I can use the manufacturer’s web site to gather the information.
These descriptions need to be added to the product database no later than 11/21. If this isn’t exactly what you need done please let me know ASAP.
You have taken the step of restating the assignment to the person who issued it to you and you have also requested that you be notified in the event that you misunderstood anything or left a detail out. You’ve “covered” yourself and you’ve breathed life into the task by simply writing it down.
Lawyers have a saying: The contract is what everyone reaches for when the deal goes bad.
There is a lot of truth to that statement and you’ll be far better off if you practice a version of it whenever you are involved in a project.
Accountability
We discussed accountability briefly in Chapter 1. Here is the most important part of that discussion:
If you commit to a task then you have taken ownership. This makes you responsible for completion of that task and accountable for its delivery. If you don’t complete that task because your car broke down, you are still accountable. If the wind blows your report out of your open sunroof while you are driving to work, you are still accountable.
Accepting accountability is probably one of the most important traits of a successful team member. Without accountability there is no hope for orderly progress. The mission of the team is threatened and the project is likely headed towards disaster.
Accountability VS Responsibility
Before we go any further we need to understand the very important distinction between being accountable versus being responsible. All too often people use the terms interchangeably because if you are the one “responsible” then you are also accountable. The fact is however, a person may quite often be held accountable for a task being delivered, even though it was not their personal responsibility to complete that task.
More to the point, this a Project Manager’s main call out. Although he or she is not responsible for producing the product, they are held accountable for the product being produced on time, within budget and of the quality required.
Put simply; being accountable means that it is your job to make sure something gets done or is delivered while being responsible generally means that it’s your job to actually perform the task.
RACI
The distinction between accountability and responsibility can have tremendous impact on team dynamics and certainly in project success. To ensure everyone knows what their level of involvement is on the project team, many PMs use a system of distinction known as the RACI responsibility assignment matrix. This acronym stands for:
Responsible: Those who actually complete the task
Accountable: Those who ensure timely, on-budget delivery of the properly completed task or item
Consulted: Those asked to provide input through two-way communications
Informed: Those told of updates via one-way communication
Accountability VS the Blame Game
Unfortunately, the term accountability is frequently associated with blame or scapegoating. True accountability is pure while launching a vendetta to assign blame is not.
Assigning blame naturally discredits the person who is being blamed and holds them out for scorn, ridicule, censure or worse.
When people work in an environment where they are constantly in fear of being blamed for something they develop a permanent defensive posture. Calculated risks will not be taken, ideas will not be presented and everyone will do as little as possible in an effort to stay out of the shadow of blame. The attitude spreads throughout the organization like a sickness until morale and productivity suffer. Nothing good comes out of an environment where blame runs rampant.
Accountability, on the other hand, focuses on keeping one’s word and performing tasks to the best of their ability and on time. It demands that the one who is to be held accountable seeks the help and guidance of other team members or managers the moment that they realize that a task cannot be performed as agreed.
An atmosphere of accountability builds teamwork as well as individual pride in accomplishment. It sets high standards that competent people will naturally gravitate towards. It rewards individuality and creativity while nurturing the values of truth, respect and constant improvement.
The basic premise of accountability demands fairness and a level playing field for all involved. A PM should not be held accountable for the outcome of a project unless he or she is given the personnel and tools necessary to perform the job properly.
Team members should not be held accountable unless they also possess or have access to the resources and skills required to perform the task they are accountable for.
Genuine accountability demands empowerment. A PM must have the authority to manage the environment that surrounds the project and all of the people involved in it.
Accountability does not mean creating a world where there are no consequences; quite the opposite is true. When you are accountable then the responsibility for seeing that task through rests on your shoulders unless someone in authority removes that accountability and assigns it to someone else.
If you fail to perform what you have promised to perform then there very well may be consequences to the team, the project and perhaps even to your future with the company.
When accountability is universally supported by senior management, as well as everyone who reports up the chain, failures are few and far between and performance improves.