Accountable Cultures, Personal Struggles, and Staying Focused [Office Hours #015]

Your questions. Answered.

👋 Welcome to a 🔒 subscriber-only edition 🔒 of our Office Hours newsletter. Every Tuesday, we tackle reader questions covering the most demanding challenges of management and leadership. (We share our best free content on LinkedIn).

---

In this week's edition, we answer:

1. How do you create a culture of accountability without making people feel micromanaged or fearful?

2. How do you support a team member who’s going through personal struggles without crossing professional boundaries or lowering expectations?

3. How do you help your team stay focused and energized during a long-term project with no quick wins?

Let’s get started…

---

Question 1:

Noah from Vancouver
How do you create a culture of accountability without making people feel micromanaged or fearful?

Response:
Dear Noah,

Creating a culture of accountability is essential for performance and trust, but it often gets misinterpreted as micromanagement or pressure. True accountability isn’t about hovering—it’s about clarity, ownership, and follow-through. When done right, it actually builds autonomy and confidence.

1. Define Accountability Clearly

Accountability starts with defining what success looks like. If your team isn’t clear on expectations, they can’t be accountable. Start by being specific about goals, roles, and timelines. For example:

"By next Friday, I’d like the campaign outline finalized and ready for stakeholder review. Let’s check in on Wednesday to track progress."

Clarity removes ambiguity and gives people a fair chance to deliver.