Nursing

Accountability looks good on you (and your staff)

Nurse Leader Insider, June 11, 2015

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I learn from every book I work on, but this latest one on accountability strategies really hit home. I now realize that when I say "I'll try" to do something by a particular date, I haven't truly committed to being accountable for the deadline. And when I hear the same words from someone else, I no longer take "I'll try" to mean the commitment all managers want to hear from an engaged staff: the definitive YES.

I'll try is what I say when I don't really see how I'll be able to make the commitment, but don't stop to think about what's in the way. Do I lack the resources, the bandwidth, or (worse) the interest? Am I just allergic to saying a simple "no" when I can't squeeze the proverbial 10 pounds of sugar into a five pound bag?

As a manager whose goal is positive outcomes from an engaged staff, you need to train your ear to "hear" the difference between words that indicate accountability and those that fall short. Your staff can do the same, and when you're all hearing and speaking the language of accountability, good things will happen.

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