Famous last words. How many times has someone said that they would get back to you, complete a task, follow up on a lead, or get some information to you. . . and you feel like you’re getting old as you wait to hear back?

Now, in fairness, no one is perfect and certainly there have been times when you’ve not followed up on things, so before you start ranting about everyone else, you might want to look in the mirror.

In any case, doing what you say you’re going to do – even if it’s to say that you haven’t completed something – seems like a simple habit. But simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy.

By fulfilling your commitments consistently, you establish the foundation of what it means to be personally accountable. When you develop the reputation of being accountable, simply put, people want to work with you. This is a best practice for you to develop as a leader, and it’s one that you want to instill in your employees.

Getting good at this involves a few simple steps. First, don’t overpromise. People are eager to get the job done, but in doing so, they tend to overpromise. Then, when they don’t live up to what they committed to do, disappointment is around the corner.

Second, be specific about what you’re promising. It could be that you’re providing an update, rather than a completed project.

Finally, make sure your personal organization system allows time for you to prepare in advance to make sure that you follow up when you have committed to do so.

Focus on this habit, and coach your people at the same time. The shifts may be subtle, but you’ll notice a measurable difference in managing expectations, and importantly, in results.

“It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable.”
– Moliere

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