University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
Keeping Employees Accountable for Results
Book

Keeping Employees Accountable for Results

Quick Tips for Busy Managers

Brian Cole Miller
AMACOM, 2006
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

If you’re about to become a manager for the first time and don’t have a clue about how to get your direct reports to do what you want them to do, use this book as a step-by-step primer. It explains what to say, when to say it and how to follow up. It teaches you why meeting and connecting with employees individually is so important if you want to keep them accountable and get results. Author Brian Cole Miller’s advice will help you develop your coaching skills. It will also save you a lot of headaches if you’re struggling with problem employees. Miller shows you how to work with difficult employees in a way that is supportive, yet puts the ownership of results squarely on the employee’s shoulders - where it belongs. If you’ve just promoted someone to manager, or if you are a new manager, getAbstract suggests that you make this book a part of your on-the-job training and development curriculum.

Summary

Ensuring Accountability

"SIMPLE" is an acronym for an easy, six-step process you can use to encourage your employees to achieve real, measurable results.

The SIMPLE steps are:

  • "Set expectations."
  • "Invite commitment."
  • "Measure results."
  • "Provide feedback."
  • "Link to consequences."
  • "Evaluate effectiveness."

Step 1: "Set Expectations"

Before you can hold employees accountable, you must identify and articulate your expectations. First, look at the whole organization, and sketch the big picture. Read company documents that explain its history, structure, mission, vision and values - its reasons for existing. Once you understand your organization’s purpose, determine how your department or team fits in the overall perspective. Then, break it down further. What must individual employees do to ensure that the department or team achieves all its objectives?

List the specific activities employees must perform or behaviors they must exhibit to do their part. How, when, where and why should they do them? As manager, your job is to explain this to your employees so they understand clearly how their...

About the Author

Brian Cole Miller owns a management training company and is the author of Quick Team-Building Activities for Busy Managers.

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