Accountability in Action:

From Responsibilities to Results

What happens when nobody is held accountable?

Imagine this: there's an employee in your team—let's call them Sam. Sam is great at making excuses; they miss deadlines, arrive late to meetings, and blames others when things go wrong. Yet somehow, Sam gets away with it every time. The rest of the team notices, morale drops, and soon, others start to follow his lead. What went wrong? This is a classic example of what happens when accountability is missing from a team or organization.

So, what is accountability?

Accountability is an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for actions.

Accountability is not about blame. It’s about ownership. When accountability is present, people do what they say they will do, take responsibility for the outcomes—good or bad—and learn from their experiences!

How do we easily hold each other accountable?

To build a culture where accountability thrives, you need a clear, simple framework. Here’s a three-step model you can apply with your team:

1. Set Goals (“The What”)

   Goals create direction. They provide clarity on what you're working toward and why it matters. Without goals, people can drift, and priorities can get lost. Example: “Our goal is to increase customer satisfaction scores by 10% in the next quarter.”

2. Set Expectations (“The Why”)

   Expectations define what success looks like day-to-day. This includes timelines, standards, behaviors, and responsibilities. Example: “Everyone is expected to respond to customer emails within 24 hours.”

3. Set Agreements (“The How”)

   Agreements are commitments that are mutually understood and accepted. They’re not dictated—they’re co-created, which makes them stronger and more sustainable. Example: “We agree that by Friday, each team member will submit three customer feedback summaries.”

How to hold someone accountable (without drama)

Holding someone accountable doesn’t have to feel awkward or confrontational. In fact, when done right, it strengthens trust and performance! Here is a simple 3-step conversation structure to help you get comfortable talking the accountability talk:

1. Recognize – Acknowledge the situation. “Hey Sam, I noticed you’ve been submitting your reports late the past two weeks.”

2. Restate – Retell the original expectation. “We agreed that reports would be submitted by 3 PM every Friday.”

3. Remind – Remind them why it matters. “Getting these reports in on time helps our the team meet deadlines and keeps our project on track.”

It’s not about catching someone doing something wrong. It’s about reminding them of the shared commitments and the impact of their actions. It is about helping each other because we care.

Final Thoughts

Accountability isn’t a one-time conversation or a performance review checkbox. It’s a culture you build—through clarity, consistency, and courageous conversations. So next time someone like Sam starts slipping, remember: Set clear goals, expectations, and agreements—and don’t shy away from the accountability conversation. You’re not just managing performance; you’re building trust, and you’re driving performance results.

How to Make Your Goals Happen:

From Vision to Victory

Why Do Goals Fall Flat?

Have you ever been part of a team where goals were set with enthusiasm, only to watch them fizzle out a few weeks later? Everyone seemed aligned in the beginning, but somehow, the momentum just… disappeared.

Take, for example, a team that set a goal to "improve communication." It sounded great in the kickoff meeting, but no one defined what “improve” meant. There were no clear timelines, no benchmarks, and no one really felt ownership. After a few attempts at longer emails and more meetings, the team went right back to their old habits. The goal quietly died. So what went wrong? It’s not that the team didn’t want to improve. It’s that the goal wasn’t set up for success.

The 4 C’s of Successful Goal-Setting

To ensure your goals lead to real results, use The Four C’s: a simple but powerful framework that builds motivation, clarity, and accountability into your goal-setting process.

1. Challenge

   We’re wired to rise to a challenge. Goals should stretch us, not stress us. A healthy level of difficulty engages motivation, sparks creativity, and builds a sense of achievement.

   Ask yourself: “Is this goal just outside our comfort zone but still within reach?”

2. Clarity

   We all interpret things differently. What seems obvious to one person might be vague to another. A goal without clarity is a goal destined to stall.

   Ask yourself: “Is this goal specific, measurable, and clearly understood by everyone involved?”

   Pro tip: Use clear language, include deadlines, and make room for questions.

3. Commitment

   When people make a verbal or written commitment, their sense of ownership increases dramatically. Commitment turns a goal from “something we’re supposed to do” into “something we’ve agreed to do.”

   Ask yourself:“Have we invited each person to make a personal commitment to this goal?”

   Pro tip: Don’t just tell—ask people to say what they’re committing to and why.

4. Collaboration

   The best goals are rarely solo missions. Progress thrives in a culture of open communication, ongoing feedback, and shared wins (and lessons learned).

   Ask yourself: “Are we creating space for regular check-ins, support, and feedback?” This keeps goals alive, adaptive, and aligned with reality—not just written on a whiteboard.

Setting Expectations Along the Way

Even the best goals can derail if expectations aren’t managed throughout the journey. Here’s a simple 3-step process to keep everyone aligned:

1. Reflect on Your Expectations

   Before communicating your expectations, get clear on them yourself. What does success look like to you? What are your non-negotiables?

   Ask yourself: “What do I need, and why is it important?”

2. Communicate and Check for Understanding

   Don’t assume that just because you said it, others heard it the same way. Clarity comes from two-way communication. Say: “Here’s what I expect. Can you tell me what you heard and how you see it playing out?”

3. Ask for Their Expectations

   Goals work best when they’re a shared endeavor. Asking for the other person’s expectations builds trust, reveals hidden assumptions, and creates joint ownership.

   Try asking: “What do you need from me or the team to make this successful?”

In Conclusion

Setting goals isn’t just about having ambition—it’s about creating the right conditions for action and accountability. When you infuse your goals with Challenge, Clarity, Commitment, and Collaboration, you move from wishful thinking to practical execution. And when you set expectations with care—reflecting, communicating, and listening—you create a culture where people don’t just set goals. They achieve them.

Mastering Feedback:

How the SOS Model Builds Stronger Workplace Conversations

"Feedback is the breakfast of champions." – Ken Blanchard

If you want to build a strong, high-performing team, feedback must be part of your everyday culture—not just something saved for annual reviews. Yet for many leaders and employees, giving feedback feels uncomfortable, even risky. What if the person takes it the wrong way? What if it damages the relationship? The truth is, avoiding feedback does far more damage than offering it.

Let’s look at an example:

Imagine you have a team member, Sarah, who is brilliant at her job but has recently been missing deadlines. At first, you hope it’s a one-time thing. You don’t say anything. Then it happens again. The team starts feeling the ripple effect—projects back up, frustrations mount. Still, you hesitate to bring it up. Finally, when you do address it, it’s a big issue, and emotions are high. What could have been a small, supportive conversation has now become a stressful confrontation. The lesson? Feedback works best when it’s early, specific, and offered with care.

Why Feedback Matters

Feedback is essential because it:

• Reinforces positive behaviors

• Corrects course early before small issues become major problems

• Builds trust through open communication

• Creates a learning culture where growth is expected and supported

But to be effective, feedback needs to be clear, respectful, and action-oriented—not vague, judgmental, or punitive. That’s where a simple model comes in handy: The SOS Model.

Introducing the SOS Model for Feedback

The SOS model gives you a clear, structured way to deliver feedback that keeps the conversation focused, productive, and supportive. Here’s how it works:

1. Situation: Start with Purpose and Acknowledge the Situation: Start by explaining why you’re having the conversation. What's the goal or the reason for discussing this? Keeping this purpose positive and growth-oriented sets a constructive tone from the start. Example: “Sarah, I wanted to check in with you about project timelines because staying on schedule is critical for the team's success, and I know you take pride in your work."

By stating the situation clearly, you frame the feedback not as an attack, but as a step toward a shared goal.

2. Observation: Share the Facts: Next, stick to the observable facts—what you’ve noticed, without judgment, blame, or interpretation. Facts are neutral; interpretations can feel like accusations. Example: “I noticed that the last two reports were submitted a couple of days after the deadline.”

Notice that this isn’t phrased as “You’re always late” or “You’re being irresponsible.” It’s about specific, observable behavior, not character.

3. Solution: Collaboratively Plan: Finally, invite a solution. This part of the conversation empowers the other person, rather than making them feel cornered. Ask for their ideas and create an action plan together. Example: “What would work for you to stay on top of these deadlines going forward? Is there anything you need from me or the team to help?”

This approach shifts the dynamic from criticism to collaboration. You're not just pointing out a problem; you're partnering on a solution.

Why the SOS Model Works

The SOS model is powerful because it does three important things:

• It removes personal judgment. You're focusing on actions and facts, not criticizing the person.

• It creates psychological safety. People are more open to feedback when they feel respected and heard.

• It drives action. Instead of dwelling on the mistake, you're moving quickly toward solutions.

Used consistently, SOS helps feedback conversations become part of your regular rhythm—less dramatic, more effective.

Best Practices When Using SOS

While the SOS model gives you the structure, how you deliver it also matters. Here are a few best practices:

• Be timely. Give feedback as close to the event as possible. Don’t let issues fester.

• Stay calm and supportive. Your tone should match your goal: helping, not punishing.

• Listen actively. Allow the other person to share their perspective. Feedback should be a dialogue, not a monologue.

• Follow up. After the conversation, check in to see how the solution is working.

Final Thoughts

Giving feedback doesn’t have to be uncomfortable or confrontational. With a simple structure like SOS, you can keep feedback conversations focused, positive, and effective. When leaders and teammates are willing to have honest conversations early and often, performance improves, trust deepens, and challenges become opportunities for growth. The next time you notice something that needs to be addressed—good or bad—remember: Situation. Observation. Solution.

And as Ken Blanchard wisely said, “Feedback is the breakfast of champions.” Make sure your team is well-fed.

The Currency of Trust in the Workplace

Trust is the invisible currency of every successful team, organization, and leader. When it’s present, things move faster, morale rises, and people feel psychologically safe. But when trust is broken—or missing altogether—it creates friction, skepticism, and disengagement that’s hard to overcome.

According to a 2023 Gallup study, only 21% of employees strongly agree that they trust their organization's leadership. That means nearly four out of five people walk into work with doubts about the people leading them—and likely about their coworkers too. Yikes!

What Is Trust in the Workplace?

In the simplest terms, trust is the belief that others are reliable, capable, and have good intentions. It’s the confidence that your leader will support you, your coworkers will follow through, and your team environment is one where it’s safe to speak up, contribute, and take calculated risks. Workplace trust isn’t built on titles, policies, or even tenure. It’s built moment by moment, action by action.

How Trust Is Lost

Trust is often lost in small, seemingly insignificant ways that compound over time. Take this example: imagine a leader who consistently tells their team they value work-life balance—but repeatedly schedules late meetings, responds to emails on weekends expecting replies, and rarely approves vacation requests without pushback. Over time, employees begin to doubt the sincerity behind the words. The manager may believe they’re being efficient or committed, but to the team, the message is clear: what’s said and what’s done don’t align.

Trust doesn’t need a dramatic betrayal to be broken. It often disappears through inconsistencies, missed commitments, or a lack of follow-through.

How to Build and Maintain Trust: The Three Virtues

Fortunately, trust can be built—and rebuilt—with intention. It takes more than a team-building exercise or a mission statement. It requires people to embody certain virtues in their everyday interactions. Let’s explore three essential ones:

1. Dependability “Do what you say you’ll do.”

Dependability is the foundation of trust. It’s about consistency and follow-through. When someone is dependable, their words and actions match. They meet deadlines, show up on time, keep promises, and hold themselves accountable when things don’t go as planned. You don’t have to be perfect to be dependable—you just have to be honest and committed. And if something prevents you from doing so, communicate early and clearly. Dependability is not about never dropping the ball; it's about how you respond when you do.

Consider this: Start by being more intentional with your commitments. Don’t overpromise. Under promise and overdeliver whenever possible.

2. Respectability “Let your work speak for itself.”

Respectability is about reputation—not just being liked, but being respected for the quality of your work. People are more likely to trust those they believe are competent and take their responsibilities seriously. Respectability doesn’t come from self-promotion; it comes from showing up, delivering well, and demonstrating care and pride in what you do. It’s the quiet confidence that earns admiration and builds influence.

Consider this: Focus on doing the small things well. Proofread your work. Finish what you start.

3. Believability “Confidence that connects.”

Believability is what makes others trust that you can and will get the job done. It’s about being credible—not just because of what you know, but how you communicate it. This doesn’t mean being boastful. It means speaking with clarity, showing conviction in your expertise, and demonstrating that you believe in yourself—because when you do, others will too. Believability is also about transparency; being honest about what you know, and humble enough to learn what you don’t.

Consider this: Speak with intention. When presenting an idea or giving feedback, explain the “why” behind it. Confidence paired with humility goes a long way.

Final Thoughts: Trust Takes Time, But It Starts Now

Building trust doesn’t require grand gestures—it requires small, consistent actions rooted in integrity. Practicing dependability, respectability, and believability helps cultivate the kind of workplace where people feel safe, supported, and empowered to do their best work. Trust may take time to earn, but it can be strengthened starting today—with every promise you keep, every task you take seriously, and every moment you choose to lead with credibility. Because in the end, trust isn’t just what holds teams together—it’s what moves them forward.