In our last blog Compassionate Accountability - Difference between Accountability and Responsibility, we shared how Compassionate Accountability is the process of building connection while also getting results. Frequently leaders get confused about balancing accountability and compassion when they need to be part of the same objective.
Recent research indicates, as we shared in Character Skills, Accelerate Growth by Amplifying Discomfort – Hidden Potential, discomfort accelerates growth.
Compassionate accountability is understanding and providing help to those you lead, while still making them responsible for meeting the standards and behavior the position requires to meet your team’s business objectives.
You Don’t Have to Choose or Compromise
Several years ago, Nate Regier, author of Compassionate Accountability: How Leaders Build Connection and Get Results, engaged with a national service company to build compassionate accountability with their 250 regional call center managers.
These managers worked remotely, supporting, and supervising a national network of agents serving customers daily.
The most consistent complaint among the call center managers was they felt drained by their interactions with the agents they supervised.
One-on-one meetings led to temporary improvements, but many agents didn’t sustain the changes.
Many managers dreaded conversations around performance metrics.
To practice compassionate accountability, the author engaged the managers to pay equal attention to three fundamental components in every interaction: value, capability, and responsibility.
Managers were asked to evaluate their behavior according to these three criteria:
Avoiding Drama – Leading with Compassionate Accountability
Drama happens when you respond to conflict by struggling against yourself or another, with or without awareness, to feel justified about your unhealthy behaviors.
When it comes to drama, we set up win-or-lose situations. That’s not compassion.
Most drama is habitual. Compassion is intentional. With drama, we seek justification rather than what’s best for all. Drama is self-serving while compassion pays equal attention to self, others, and the greater good.
“Those who plan the battle rarely battle the plan.” ~Ken Blanchard
Responsibility doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Inviting higher levels of responsibility can occur only when we also tend to value and capability.
I’m struggling with something, and I want your help. I’ve been feeling drained from our interactions and don’t feel effective as a manager. I realize that I’ve been working so hard to support you and solve your problems that I haven’t allowed or expected you to be part of the solution. I’m interested in your ideas about how you can consistently close the gap. I haven’t done right by our organization either because I haven’t held myself or you accountable to meet its goals. Meeting your performance goals is nonnegotiable, and we have standard consequences that I will begin to enforce. I care about you, and I want you to be successful.
Instead of struggling alone, against, or instead of, these managers redefined what it means to struggle with.
They showed compassion and accountability without compromise or drama.
RESULTS
Four months after the training, a check-in meeting to report on progress, share stories, and answer questions. Outcomes from data collected from the 250 managers were also shared.
In all four areas, they reported over 50 percent improvement over and above everything else they were doing. Here are just three of the comments from managers:
Before they left our meeting, I would always receive a confirmation of their plan to achieve the actions they had committed to!
To create an environment where everyone is inspired to give their best, contact Positioning Systems to schedule a free exploratory meeting.
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NEXT BLOG – The Compassionate Mindset