Effective Leadership: How to Keep Your Team Accountable with Gentle Reminders

I used to jokingly say that my title should have been “Chief Cat Herder” when I was responsible for overseeing 40 executive volunteers. Wrangling people can be one of the most challenging tasks in the world. Don’t get me wrong, I loved my job and loved the volunteers even more. But as human nature has it. I often found that balls were dropped, communication slipped, and tasks weren’t accomplished in the timely fashion that I needed them to be in order to be successful. What I didn’t realize right away was that it was just as much my responsibility as it was theirs.  If I was going to be a leader. I had to set the tone for what accountability looked and felt like with some gentle poking.

Many teammates (at work, home + in volunteer experiences) need some friendly reminders to stay on task and get the job done. In some workplace cultures, it can become the norm to assume “someone else will take care of it if I can’t.” And that just not the kind of culture that most people crave. According to our research, “accountability” is the #1 thing High Achieving Millennials are looking for in the workplace!

So, how do you give an artful poke or nudge in the right direction if you’re unsure which direction it’s headed?

These 4 “poking” Tips have all worked wonders for me — with staff, volunteers + family!

1. Set clear expectations upfront. Be sure the project has undeniable clarity when it comes to the expectations of what success looks like. The more someone needs to interpret the expectation, the more likely you won’t get the result you’re looking for. Poking: In a friendly manner, check in a day later to see if they have any questions about the expectations. 
2. Explain WHY it matters. When a person can understand how an assignment relates to the bigger vision at-hand. They’re much more likely to have enthusiasm for getting it accomplished. There’s nothing worse than feeling like you’re just pushing papers. Make it clear that there is purpose and intention behind the work. Poking: Kindly remind them in an email a few days after the assigned task how important this is for the big picture.
3. Create a timeline with benchmarks. I’d recommend that you do this WITH them so they have complete buy-in and you’re not assuming what they have on their plate already. Poking: Set up a calendar invite with due dates OR use a program like Basecamp that automatically reminds them of an upcoming deadline. 
4. Have check-ins throughout the process. Have check-ins throughout the process. Nothing gets people motivated more than knowing they have an in-person meeting to report on their progress. If you wait until the due date, you may not have the final product you need. This sets up a relationship of support and accountability. Poking: Have these meetings scheduled in advance of the due date, alongside the major benchmarks, so it’s proactive, not reactive!

With all of these poking tips. It’s critical to note that this is NOT about babysitting someone or holding their hand every step of the way.

It’s about developing stronger coaching relationships, accomplishing work as a supportive team and making adjustments accordingly.

What ways have you found success with “poking” your teammates? Let me know in the comments.

And if you need support holding people accountable, check out what my alignment coaching can do for you.