Inspect What You Expect: Leadership Accountability

If you are a manager or executive, one of the ways you are measured is by the outcomes your team delivers. Instead of acting like that’s not a big deal, this week, I am turning up the heat on an action the highest-performing leaders leverage: inspection.

One of the biggest problems with micromanagers is that they focus on what is minor instead of what is major. They lean into their preferences instead of performance.

The hard truth is that micromanagement is arrogant. It’s a public display that a manager doesn’t trust a team member to learn to do something as well as them. Micromanagement signals:

• You don’t trust others to do it right

• You believe no one else can do it as well as you

• You need to control every detail and install your preferences

What it means:

Inspection evaluates results and process adherence at the macro level, ensuring that standards are maintained and outcomes are delivered.

Proper inspection requires clarity around standards (Policy, Process, or Performance) and allowing team members the freedom to meet or exceed those standards with frequent inspection points to ensure alignment with team priorities.

If you want to increase accountability through inspection, consider the Q squared Inspection Model. The Q’s stand for quantity of inspection and quality of performance.

When the quality of performance goes up, the quantity of inspection goes down.  Conversely, when the quality of performance is low, the quantity of inspection goes up.

If you take a lot of time inspecting low performers, you must move on.  Wasting time on low performers who are unwilling or unable to make the jump is hurting your medium and high performers. It’s a mistake too many managers make repeatedly.

Make it a day,

John Eades | CEO LearnLoft

P.S. For the first time in three years, we’re offering the Accelerate Leadership Program virtually to managers from different organizations. This is a unique opportunity for HR or Senior Leaders to provide newly promoted or underperforming managers with proven tools and strategies to enhance their leadership skills and drive better performance moving into 2025. It’s also a great way for a manager in an organization without a formal leadership development program as well.

Inspect What You Expect: Leadership Accountability (Blog)

Accelerate Leadership Program (Virtual Workshop)

For the first time in three years, we’re offering the Accelerate Leadership Program virtually to managers from different organizations. This program isn’t about knowledge, it’s about application. Set your team up for dramatically better results in 2025.

Program Schedule

• Monday, December 2, 2024 from 12:00-1:00 PM (ET): Leading Teams - Leadership Foundations and Talent

• Wednesday, December 4, 2024 from 12:00-1:00 PM (ET): Leading Teams - Culture

• Friday, December 6, 2024 from 12:00-1:30 PM (ET): Leading Teams - Strategy

• Monday, December 9, 2024 from 12:00-1:00 PM (ET): Leading Individuals - Relationships

• Wednesday, December 11, 2024 from 12:00-1:00 PM (ET): Leading Individuals - Coaching

• Friday, December 13, 2024 from 12:00-1:30 PM (ET): Leading Individuals - Accountability

As a newsletter subscriber, we’re reserving spots at an exclusive rate of $397 per manager.

Optimism is a Competitive Advantage (Video)

Ready to Mold More Effective Leaders?

Here are some ways we could work together:

Catalyst for Growth Program - Stop promoting high potentials without equipping them to lead. Empower them with the tools and mindset they need to succeed. Research reveals:

• 70% of top performers credit learning and coaching as essential for career growth.

• Companies investing in leadership development see 37% higher retention.

• Emerging leaders with coaching are 130% more likely to hit their targets.

• Leadership programs can boost productivity by 25% or more.

• Leadership development can enhance employee engagement by up to 60%.

Emerging leaders need more than just opportunity—they need guidance. The Catalyst for Growth Program is built on three powerful pillars: Beliefs, Blueprints, Execution.

1:1 Executive Leadership Coaching—Get 1:1 Executive Coaching to improve performance. Coaching programs are six months long and include a LearnLoft-certified coach. They are perfect for one executive or a group of executives who want to take their performance to the next level.

Speaking and Workshops- We’re now booking keynotes and Workshops for Q4 and Q1. Reply to this note or fill out the form here, and our team will be in touch to discuss topics, availability, and pricing.