Home Alone

The way we work has changed forever. More people are working from home than ever before. Even if we get past COVID, a significant number of people will continue to work from home.

As a leader, you can’t help but wonder what they are doing during the workday? Are they spending hours on Facebook, playing video games, or doing laundry? In the days when we physically came to work, it seemed easier to keep people accountable. Working in the same location allowed you to see if they showed up and at least looked busy.

However, just because someone looks busy doesn’t necessarily mean they are productive. We relied on the line of sight because it was easy. The truth of the matter is, the “boss looking over your shoulder” method was never a good way to gauge true productivity and maintain accountability. It has always been a flawed approach because it relies on extrinsic motivation, something from outside the person, rather than intrinsic motivation or the inner desire to do something.

It is easy to buy into the assumption that people are not motivated. If the boss is not watching, they won’t work. If you have to be there to hold them accountable, then they are not truly accountable. The only true accountability is when people hold themselves accountable. They have to want to do it.

The power of intrinsic motivation is simple but profound. The key to high levels of personal accountability is to allow it to be their work instead of yours or the companies. Get them in the conversation from start to finish. Your team needs to be involved in planning and setting goals. They need to be the primary architect of how they can best execute the plan. They need to regularly post you and the team on their progress and make adjustments on the fly. Invite your employees to the table and get them in the conversation.

It won’t matter whether they are at the office or working from home; when it becomes their work, accountability will no longer be a problem. The really good news about this is that it is what you want and what they want. Humans want to do meaningful work and make a difference.

At the DRYVE Leadership Group, we have built a complete system to help you get everyone to the table and own their space.

Inspire intrinsic motivation within your team. Contact a Culture Coach at DRYVE Leadership Group today!