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From Anarchy to Accountability

Much has been made of the supposed shortage of leadership skills among engineers, architects, and scientists. There is certainly some truth in that observation. But let's give leaders and managers in our business credit where credit is due. They have a tough job. After all, they have to try to lead engineers, architects, and scientists!

Technical professionals—like other professionals—are notorious for their sense of autonomy and resistance to being "managed." They are usually creative, talented, fiercely competitive, confident, and independent-minded. The very traits that make them effective in their profession can present significant challenges to anyone trying to organize them into a group or team. Consultant Patrick McKenna appropriately characterized this challenge in the title to his book on the subject—Herding Cats.

The result is what borders on anarchy in most professional service firms. This is often most evident among the managers and principals who are charged with leading the firm. They may tacitly agree to a new corporate strategy, initiative, or policy, but typically resort back to whatever they've grown most comfortable with or what they think is best. Thus meaningful change and improvement comes only slowly and grudgingly in most of our firms.

As a consultant, I am constantly confronted with the complaint: "we need more accountability." This problem seems to be associated with every facet of our operations where improvement is sought, from project management to business development to conducting performance appraisals to getting people to turn in timesheets on time.

So how, as a firm or group leader, can you navigate the transition from anarchy to accountability? It's not easy, but here are some strategies I've learned over the years:

u Seek the consent to lead. The rights of leadership are not assigned by title or management decision; they are voluntarily bestowed by those who will follow. As David Maister observes:

In a professional firm, you can manage only what the professionals will let you manage. To get anything whatsoever done, professionals must voluntarily approve and accept new accountabilities...They must agree to be managed.

This conclusion may turn our conventional ideas of corporate governance on their head, but my experiences (and I presume yours) bear this out. I commonly encounter managers who assume they have the authority to lead, but are afraid to use that authority. Whether they admit it or not, they instinctively know that such authority really doesn't exist. So the unspoken standoff persists, and little change happens.

To break the impasse, you need to actively negotiate the terms of leadership with those you are attempting to lead. Outline mutual responsibilities and expectations. Secure "nagging rights" designed to help your colleagues achieve the goals both parties have agreed on. Even professionals are willing to be led when they see how it will enable them to succeed. 

u But establish nonnegotiable values and standards. The counterbalance to the above negotiated terms is the realization that some things are not open to negotiation. Corporate values cannot be willingly violated by anyone, regardless of his or her stature in the firm. There must be minimum standards of performance, whether related to quality, safety, client service, or financial management. Unlawful or unethical behavior cannot be tolerated. These immutable values and standards are what define the soul of the firm. They also form the foundation for strong leadership. Failing to enforce them to appease recalcitrant colleagues will not gain their favor over the long run, but only compromise your effectiveness as a leader. For more on this subject, you can read the article "Values and Intolerance."

u Manage nonbillable time utilization. One of the biggest deterrents to corporate change and improvement is the failure to properly allocate and manage nonbillable time. As a leader, this is a critical resource, both for you personally and for those you lead. If you expect to get much accomplished on any corporate initiative, you will need to secure commitments of nonbillable time from those involved. You will also need to commit an adequate amount of your own time. Don't leave it to "whenever I find the time." Budget and track nonbillable time "utilization" on your initiative or activity. Treat that time like you would project time. For more on this subject, check out the article "Investing Nonbillable Time."

u Use the right metrics. Research and experience confirm the important role that metrics can have in influencing behavior. There is truth in the axiom: "What gets measured, gets done." But the wrong metrics can promote different behaviors than what you intended. For example, having too many metrics or ones that are too complicated can overwhelm, leading people to ultimately ignore them. On the other hand, putting too much emphasis on one or two metrics can lead to a distorted sense of priorities (as often happens with utilization). Still, I favor stressing a few key metrics. The focus will change over time as results vary and new priorities arise. In targeting specific metrics, however, be sure to carefully consider how people are likely to respond to them. Keep in mind that metrics and desired behaviors should be complementary.

u Give latitude in the details of implementation. Most professionals don't respond well to being told what to do. They consider that part of their expertise, determining what needs to be done. Unfortunately, many firms get overly prescriptive in defining how things should be done (while often being vague about the expected outcomes). They establish detailed procedures, complicated forms, and exhaustive reporting requirements. When these are ignored, they create new ones. 

To break out of this cycle, it's best to focus on what you want accomplished and let your colleagues determine the details of how to get it done. After you've reached mutual agreement on goals, invite participation in outlining implementation steps. Encourage simplicity, minimize bureaucracy and reporting. Allow for individual variation as long as desired results are achieved. Then, as noted above, obtain permission to hold folks accountable for doing what they said they would.

u Align personal goals with corporate goals. This is a powerful but often overlooked strategy. One of the best ways to motivate people is to help them accomplish what they already aspire to do. Look for ways to align individual goals with your group or firm goals. Develop strategy in large part based on what key firm or team members want to achieve personally. You might argue that this is what essentially happens anyway. Yet only rarely have I worked with a firm that intentionally pursued the juncture of personal and corporate initiatives. Goal alignment facilitates the best way to lead: Rather than asking people to "come follow me," you're asking "how can I help?"

u Build relationships and understanding one on one. Group dynamics can be a funny thing, and leaders who attempt to lead primarily in group settings often get false readings about what people are really thinking. It's best to supplement group sessions with one-on-one conversations to build trust, understanding, and agreement. Ask each individual for his or her suggestions, and how you might help that person be more effective or make things easier. This is the best setting for gaining the "consent to lead" described above.

u Give recognition. This common sense recommendation is unfortunately often overlooked. As McKenna and Maister note in their book First Among Equals:

Managers often fall into the trap of looking for problems to be fixed rather than seeing successes that can be multiplied. This results in everyone being risk averse and cautious. It does little to encourage the vital task of regularly finding new ways to do the job better. 

Everyone craves recognition. This is as true of the senior members of your firm as it is of the junior employees. So learn to dispense it on a regular basis. Be careful, though, of singling out individuals for what was, in fact, a team effort. In many cases, recognizing the team rather than individuals is a better approach.

u Leverage peer pressure. In the typical professional services firm culture, peer pressure is usually more effective in influencing actions than management directives. For this reason, a team approach is advised. Help the team to build a sense of mutual accountability, making commitments to each other and reporting back to the team on their progress on a regular basis. But don't take it to the extreme of trying to embarrass anyone in front of their peers. That will not only cost you that individual's commitment, but likely the team's as well.

u Deal with prima donnas. Every firm seems to have at least one—a key manager, principal, or senior professional who refuses (either openly or passively) to get on board with new corporate initiatives or changes. There's no denying the value these individuals bring to the firm, but their staunch independence can undermine your best efforts to improve performance. Many leaders simply acquiesce, hoping the momentum of others' actions will prevail. More likely, however, the double standard ultimately derails the effort.

Addressing your prima donnas may be your toughest challenge as a leader. Begin by approaching the individual privately. Seek agreement on the need for change and ask for suggested strategies. Remind him or her of the influence they wield in the organization. Often, these individuals acknowledge the need for improvement, but feel they are exempted (even though they probably won't admit it). Mutually agree on expectations, and ask for a commitment.

If the person continues to resist after you've tried appropriate measures to get him or her engaged, then the firm has a tough decision to make. You must decide: Which is more important—this individual or the firm's efforts to improve? A top performer or the values and standards you claim are crucial to the firm's success? 

Hopefully it doesn't come to that. But I've seen prima donnas hold their firms hostage many times. It's a crisis of leadership, and your response is a key differentiator between anarchy and accountability.

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