This 50 year old article will put a smile or two on your face as you read how similar today is for managers, director and leaders. Enjoy the read and let me know what you are doing to be totally accountable.

A couple of best practices are:

1. Always ask your direct report what do you suggest? When possible get two, possibly three options. Have direct report select best one that he or she will implement. Be fully supportive.

2. MBWA – now you can “Manage By Walking Around” with your own “how’s it going”. 😉

Mike Scott, Vistage speaker with over 1,000 workshops to his credit (www.totallyaccountablesystems.com) has his Three Gold Metal Habits:

• Give & get agreed-on due dates and due times for completion of all delegated work
• Repeat or paraphrase all verbal requests
• Insist on results with no surprises

Never ask “why” when something is not done, instead ask in the following order:

– What are your next steps to get this done?

– When are you going to do that?

– Can I count on you for that?

Total accountability means doing what you said you would do, as you said you would do it, when you said you would do it – PERIOD!