Accountability sounds straightforward…until you try to enforce it.

In Part 2 of this series on Management Muse, Cindi and Geoff move from defining the boundaries of micromanagement to confronting the real challenge: what real accountability requires. They explore how leaders over-control when they’re anxious and under-coach when roles evolve.

They turn to the real engine of accountability: feedback. Why public reminders don’t work. Why sugarcoating dilutes the message. Why deadlines change behavior. And why leaders with high emotional intelligence may be the most tempted to avoid the very conversations that drive performance. If you want accountability without resentment, this is where the work actually begins.

Listen to Part 1 here.

Episode Highlights:

How to unlearn micromanaging behaviors you might have inadvertently picked up
The hidden accountability gap when roles change but expectations don’t
The “Poop Sandwich" and why it backfires
How to give feedback that boosts accountability
The importance of effective conversations and deadlines

Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WAYLyFHXSJI

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Want to Go Deeper? Check Out Our Recommended Reading:

DiGangi, Julia. “The Anxious Micromanager,” Harvard Business Review, Sep-Oct. 2023. https://hbr.org/2023/09/the-anxious-micromanager
Ilgen, D., Fisher, C., and Taylor, M.S. “Consequences of individuals feedback on behavior in organizations,” Journal of Applied Psychology, 1979, 64(4), 349-371. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.64.4.349

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Ep 98 - Accountability That Actually Works (Part 2)