If You Find Yourself Following Up on Everything, It Might Be A Clarity Problem

Do you find yourself thinking, "Why do I have to follow up on everything?"

It's frustrating...You assign something, assume it's moving forward, and then find yourself checking in over and over. It's easy to label that as an accountability problem. But before assuming someone isn't taking ownership, there is another question worth asking:

Was I clear enough from the start?

Sometimes what looks like a lack of accountability is really a lack of clarity. When assigning responsibility, employees should understand:

• What does success look like?

• When does this need to be completed?

• How will we measure whether it was successful?

• What decisions can they make on their own?

The clearer you are up front, the less likely you will need to follow up constantly.

Leadership Action:

Pick one item you regularly have to follow up on. Instead of adding another reminder, revisit the expectations with the employee and make sure you both have the same definition of success.