Empower your people before expecting accountability from them

Instructions

Clarify your expectations before you set objectives for your people.
Ensure that they understand and agree to whatever your deliverables are. Show them how the initiative fits into the organization’s bigger picture. Explain clearly how the objectives deliver value to your stakeholders.
Give them the right to make decisions at their level.
Allow your staff to have decision rights instead of telling them what to do in every task they’re working on. Let them be accountable for low-level decisions so that they stay committed and focused.
Agree on deadlines that challenge your people to stretch.
Instead of imposing a deadline, simply guide the person to set the right delivery dates. Make sure you agree on delivery dates that are logical, ambitious, and flexible.
Provide adequate resources to achieve deliverables and meet deadlines.
Ensure that you provide the appropriate amount of money, manpower, and other assets so that your accountable leaders can meet their targets.
Be prepared to coach and mentor your people.
Make time to actively be available to provide the necessary guidance when people encounter problems. Expose them to tools that can help them make better decisions for themselves instead of solving their problems for them.
Give them a chance to succeed or fail on their merits.
Once you’ve done everything to empower your people, step back and allow them to do their best work. If they fail or succeed, it’s on them.