Managers: Compassion and Accountability Aren’t Mutually Exclusive

by | Apr 19, 2021 | Management

Two people sit at a desk, one pointing with a pen at a laptop screen displaying a performance evaluation chart categorizing results into Beginner, Average, Skilled, and Expert levels using icons and stars. A calculator and documents are visible on the desk, underscoring management accountability in tracking progress.

With the impact of the pandemic, people are experiencing lots of stress around the world. Although companies have switched to remote mode, this global crisis has created low morale for work among employees. People have spent extended hours while staying indoor during the lockdown. But the great news is that restrictions are now lifting in different corners of the world, and people are trying to adjust to the new normal.

In this scenario, the managers are looking for the best ways to balance compassion and accountability for their team members. Many of them are confused about whether they should emphasize flexibility to help employees grow slowly after a stressful cycle or make them accountable for the deadlines to increase productivity. Don’t worry! Here we have listed a few tips from experts at Global Investment Strategies to help you handle the trade-off between compassion and accountability.

Reframe your experience about the past year

Without any doubt, it has been a terrible experience for most people. However, many people were privileged to stay out of trauma related to pandemics. It is common to find people who call the last one year as least productive time. But if we analyze it well, your team and you did a lot of projects together, even when it was difficult to collaborate with the newly created remote work environment. Whatever you have accomplished in this duration was not easy in such complicated circumstances. Therefore, it is essential to do the proper assessment of the past year of work for yourself and your employees as well.

Focus on resilience to enhance performance

Studies reveal that resilience plays an essential role in employee performance. After all, it acts as a limiting factor for several employees and defines how they handle stress and other responsibilities in their life. Many people can manage it all alone while being able to take day-to-day work. However, others need support to come out of grief and trauma. Managers need to ensure extra diligence and motivation to help struggling employees achieve enhanced performance. It is essential to apply consistent efforts to help them deal with ongoing stress while learning new skills and abilities.

Set up individual plans and conversations

Managers need to spare time to understand their team members. Do not assume their conditions; instead, establish close contact with them. Make it easier for them to talk about the problematic scenarios of your life. It may also help you decide about what can be done to improve their performance. This understanding is one of the most effective ways to avoid underperformance at work while motivating your employees to achieve deadlines.

Push accountability at the group level

Experts advise encouraging accountability at the group level instead of pushing individual limits. In this way, team members will find each other connected on the project, and each one of them will share responsibilities to deliver the same significant outcomes. For example, when there is a problem in the project, it is good to sit down together and solve the issues. This problem-solving effort will automatically help to ensure positive returns.

These simple efforts can help you enjoy great returns from your teams in this new normal after the pandemic.