The Accountability Cycle

November 20, 2024

Alleviate Unmet Expectations

What is the #1 cause of frustration and friction you encounter as an organizational leader?  We believe the answer centers on “unmet expectations.” We have observed a common 4-step cycle when companies hire new employees and begin setting expectations. The cycle follows like this:

Step 1: Hope. After a new hire, the supervisor is hopeful the new employee will fulfill their assigned role perfectly, and the employee is excited about their new job. 


Step 2: Unclear expectations. Rarely does the supervisor take the time to engage the new employee and deliver a clear duty description with roles and responsibilities. Despite not delivering clear expectations, the supervisor is sure that the employee understands their expectation of “A, B, C,” but often the employee has a very different picture of the expectations and believes their job entails “X, Y, Z.” Thus, they quickly transition to the next step.


Step 3: Frustration. The supervisor grumbles, “My darn employee won’t do their job!” While the employee complains, “My boss is a toxic leader!”  This leads to a critical decision in Step 4.


Step 4: Fire/Quit/Tolerate. The supervisor fires the employee. The employee quits. Or, they maintain the work relationship, but the team suffers due to suboptimal performance.

A healthy 4-step cycle looks like this:

Step 1: Hope. This remains the same. 


Step 2: Clear Expectations. The supervisor sits down with the employee and gets to know them during onboarding. They both share their backgrounds, hobbies, families, goals, and strengths/weaknesses. The supervisor asks, “What are your expectations of me as your supervisor?”  The supervisor creates an environment of caring engagement and open communication. Only when this is complete, does the supervisor clearly lay out the expectations for the employee in the form of 1) Company Values, 2) Required Skills, and 3) Roles and Responsibilities 4) Goals/Key Performance Indicators. 


Step 3: Review Standards. The supervisor regularly sits down with the employee and reviews these agreed upon standards. The supervisor praises the employee for areas of compliance, holds them accountable for areas of non-compliance, and helps the employee solve problems and develop in their role.


Step 4: Conform or Leave. The supervisor is on a firm foundation, and the employee chooses to either conform to the clear standards or leave the team.


This healthy cycle is vital to solving two critical aspects of organizational leadership. The first of which is building culture. The values that the supervisor describes to the employee are the desired cultural values of the company. Relaying the importance of these at the outset and routinely reinforcing them is essential to building the company’s desired culture. The second aspect is that of holding people accountable.  The clear initial discussion and following one-on-ones minimize emotions from the equation and make holding someone accountable a much easier and feasible endeavor. 


Looking for more leadership concepts and tools? Take our GET STARTED QUIZ to see what Arrowhead Leadership can offer you and your team!

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Leader Development: Whose Responsibility Is It?

March 11, 2024
A concerning trend is emerging in the business world, illustrated through a baseball analogy. Picture a fly ball soaring between center field and right field…which one will catch it? The right fielder assumes the center fielder will make the catch, while the center fielder believes it's the right fielder's responsibility—resulting in the ball dropping between them. This scenario mirrors the current state of leader development in many businesses. In this analogy, Operations represents the centerfielder, HR takes on the role of the right fielder, and the ball symbolizes leader development. Unfortunately, businesses are fumbling the ball. We regularly hear Operations Managers claim, "I am too busy running the company to focus on developing leaders. Leader development falls under the 'people' function, so it's HR's responsibility." Conversely, HR Managers assert, "I am solely accountable for hiring and payroll. Leader development is Operations' duty." Consequently, few companies take deliberate action to develop their leaders. The outcome is frustration among Operations Managers due to the insufficient proficiency and efficiency of junior leaders. HR Managers grapple with a surge in employee issues, and employees express frustration at the lack of personal development. The solution lies in fostering communication between the outfielders (Operations and HR) and building a purposeful leader development program for the company. Here are steps to initiate a leader development program: Begin by defining the values/traits desired in leaders in your company. HR can then incorporate these values into recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes. Operations and HR collaborate to establish a training program that instills these values in employees and junior leaders. Operations managers can reinforce these traits during daily interactions on the job site. By following these three straightforward steps, companies can make substantial progress in developing their leaders and successfully catching the metaphorical ball. If your company requires assistance in this process, Arrowhead Leadership is here to help build your values and establish a sustainable leader development plan.
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Mastering Goal-Setting for New Year Success

January 15, 2024
The new year often brings new resolutions, or goals. Today, I want to help you break away from the majority of people who give up on their goals before January is even over. To illustrate the power of effective goal-setting, let's take a moment to explore Shohei Ohtani's goal-setting chart, a remarkable example of how clarity and structure can propel one towards unprecedented success. Shohei Ohtani, the multi-talented baseball phenomenon, has captivated the world not just with his athletic prowess but also with his meticulous approach to goal-setting. Ohtani's goal-setting chart is a visual representation of his primary goal, intermediate goals, and the subsequent daily, monthly, or weekly goals that lead him towards his ultimate objective. It serves as a testament to the impact a well-defined roadmap can have on achieving extraordinary feats. Now, let's unravel the secret sauce behind successful goal-setting. Whether you're an athlete, a business professional, or an aspiring entrepreneur, the key lies in crafting a comprehensive goal-setting blueprint. Here's how you can be successful in setting and keeping goals:
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