Accountability: Turning Trust into Loyalty
By John R. Patterson and Chip R. Bell
Accountability is both the sweet spot and Achilles heel of most leaders. Leaders learn early the importance of “holding employees accountable” for results. Despite its downbeat reputation, accountability effectively executed remains the keystone for trust between leaders and their employees; employees with customers.
Trust is the glue that binds relationships. Without a climate of trust organizations are unable to deliver the type of service that fuels customer loyalty. Trust enables customers to willingly communicate their hopes and aspirations, not just needs and expectations. Customers who trust are more apt to offer candid guidance for improvement, not just the preverbal “fine!” Customers who trust are more tolerant of mistakes and more responsive to service recovery. Customers who trust are advocates, not just satisfied. And, customer trust is created and sustained by an accountability culture.
Customers form perceptions of service through the interface with an organization’s employees (a.k.a., Loyalty Creators). Consequently, it is the actions of Loyalty Creators that drives or destroys the quality of service that yields customer loyalty. And, Loyalty Creators learn how to treat customers from the way their leaders treat them.
How can accountability assist leaders in developing a culture where trust is an ever present component? Let’s turn the clock back to Chip’s teenage years to illustrate how accountability can build trust and produce desired results while making the job of the leader less contentious.
Ray Bell was shy and conflict averse. At fourteen, his son, Chip, was completely the opposite. Calm conversations about chores quickly escalated into chaotic confrontations complete with slamming doors. Father-son quarrels were painful for both—Ray for a fray fought in his least comfortable arena; Chip for the innate rebellion of adolescence.
Then, it stopped.
Ray decided to stop being detention officer and let Chip decide the consequence of his work solely by his performance. Each week chores were discussed and expectations clarified along with the consequence for good, poor and non-performance. Ray supplied helpful resources and then provided the most important part—he kept his promise to deliver the consequence.
If Chip did all his chores in sync with agreed upon expectations, he got to go to the movies; if he did not, his performance communicated he was choosing to stay home on Saturday night. No more uproar. Just clear expectations, fair consequences, helpful support and assurance that consequences promised were consequences delivered.
Like the “before” Ray, leaders dread the performance appraisal aspect of accountability because it too often turns into hurt feelings, uncomfortable conflict and smoldering hostility. Following the example of the “after” Ray provides a method for leaders to help Loyalty Creators put in the discipline to their own performance. This accountability path has four parts: clear expectations for outcomes, frequent “check in” conversations to stay on track, candid feedback for growth, and fair consequences for great, poor and non-performances.
Set Clear Expectations
Great leaders know they only get the best from Loyalty Creators if they expect the best. They also know creating “buy-in” is vital to delivering the expected results. Loyalty Creators who participate in the development of expectations have much stronger commitment to achieving those expectations. While there are obviously times expectations must be determined by leaders, involvement should be the rule, not the exception.
Involvement includes conversations to gain agreement on the achievability of performance outcomes. If Loyalty Creators have concerns about the reasonableness of expectations these must be discussed to gain agreement on how results can be better achieved. Expectations that remain “unreasonable” in the eyes of Loyalty Creators feed stress and a loss of commitment. Likewise, expectation setting requires communication of both the rationale and importance of expected outcomes, leaving the “how” for the Loyalty Creators to discern.
Frequent “check in” conversations
Great leaders know feedback is crucial to assisting Loyalty Creators to a successful outcome. They also know it is the frequency of feedback that makes or breaks effectiveness. Imagine bowling blindfolded except for the very last frame. Make performance discussions a habit. If feedback conversations occur at least monthly they become more comfortable for both leader and Loyalty Creators.
One approach that can be a boon to Loyalty Creators achieving their expected outcomes is “future-stating.” Future-stating is a conversation in which leaders graphically state what future success will look like. In other words, “If expectations are realized, the following would have happened.” Starting with the desired destination, work backwards, agreeing on the action steps needed to achieve that future state. Develop regular touch points and “check in” conversations to examine the path traveled to date (versus plan) and settle on course corrections to ensure arrival at the future state. Think of these “check in” conversations as a GPS guiding performance to a new destination.
Candid feedback for growth
How do leaders give feedback that stimulates growth and energizes excellence? Below are four steps guaranteed to improve the chances of LoyaltyMakers gaining an understanding of what is needed to enhance performance:
- State the Rationale for Feedback
Help the Loyalty Creator gain a clear sense of why the feedback is being given. Ensure there is a unmistakable perspective for making sense of the feedback. Lace communications with language that says: “I care about your effectiveness.”
- Create a Climate of Identification –– “I’m like you”
You can enhance the Loyalty Creator’s receptivity to feedback by creating a climate of empathy. Avoid “should’s” and “oughts.” Let facts guide your feedback rather than opinion. Keep the tone that of a thoughtful partner, not a controlling parent.
- Recommend a “Cancel-out” Action
If feedback focuses solely on the past it can trigger Loyalty Creator defensiveness. If focused on the future, feedback can communicate promise and opportunity. Think of an action that is the opposite of the current ineffective practice that, if taken, could cancel out the old behavior. Instead of focusing on what the Loyalty Creator should have done, help channel the Loyalty Creator’s energy toward what can be done to be more effective.
- Share Optimism and Communicate On-Going Support
The communication of the expectation of success can turn Loyalty Creator hesitation into an enthusiastic attempt. Leader optimism about the likelihood of improvement can lend encouragement and support. Communicate willingness to being a resource to help the Loyalty Creator improve.
Fair Consequences for Performance
One of the underpinnings of accountability is consistently applied consequences for great and/or poor performance. Loyalty Creators trust leaders when leaders are fair and consistent. Loyalty Creators realize when results are less than expected there ought to be consequences. They also presume there will be good consequences for exceeding expectations. When either fails to be delivered trust between Loyalty Creator and leader is weakened. When there are not consistent consequences, Loyalty Creators risk drifting toward mediocrity. When there are only consequences for poor performance, fear becomes an insidious aspect of the culture and responsible risk taking becomes extinct.
Accountability has too often a negative connotation. The simple mention of the word leads many to go immediately to the “dark side.” Consistently holding Loyalty Creators accountable can have a very positive side. It is an essential for leaders who seek to build a climate of trust and generate the quality of customer service that drives customer loyalty.
Fast forward to today. Where is Chip on accountability? He is a new granddaddy to Kaylee and Annabeth. And, he seems to have forgotten everything he ever knew about accountability!
Chip R. Bell and John R. Patterson are customer loyalty consultants. Their newest book is Take Their Breath Away: How Imaginative Service Creates Devoted Customers (NY: Wiley, May, 2009). They can be reached through http://www.taketheirbreathaway.com/.
