Why You Must Leverage Accountability But Not Micromanage

Every leader, from the CEO to a first-time team manager. has wrestled with the balance between too much oversight and not enough. The truth is, there’s no perfect “formula,” but there is one rule: accountability must be included, and micromanagement must be avoided.

Let’s break down how to find that sweet spot.

What it means:

Micromanagement is a toxic combination of excess processing, too much management per unit of work, and non-utilization of talent.

When someone is a chronic micromanager, they typically have control issues and deep insecurities. A fear of failure and arrogance often leads to this.

However, great leadership is presence, not absence. This makes the formula for oversight challenging and situational.

What it means:

Accountability is the obligation to account for actions, accept responsibility, and disclose results transparently. But it only works when you co-create standards and expectations with your team, then hold each other to them.

Proper accountability feels like partnership, not punishment.

What it means:

Accountability isn’t a one-and-done task you can check off. It’s something you do every day, by giving praise, acknowledgment, or feedback.

When accountability becomes a daily habit, you build a culture of accountability. You know you have arrived when team members begin holding each other accountable because a player-led team always outperforms a leader-led team.

Use your gift,

John Eades

CEO | LearnLoft | The Sales Infrastructure

P.S. If you’re ready to strengthen the accountability skills of your managers, I’d love to help. Schedule a Skill Mastery Workshop for managers in your organization. These 60-90-minute sessions delivered virtually or in person are customized. Skill Mastery workshops are 50% off when scheduled before April 15th.

P.S.S. At The Sales Infrastructure, we only work with a few companies at a time and focus heavily on sales execution. We help companies rigorously execute to improve their sales performance through training, coaching, and sales process design. We have one available spot to partner with a new company. Contact Dorthy Wood ([email protected]) if you're interested in improving the performance of your sales team.

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