During a recent IDS® session, I found myself listening for over 45 minutes as a client’s team
went back and forth on a single issue. We only had two hours left in the meeting—and 25 more
issues to work through! The conversation wasn’t about what needed to happen. Everyone had
already agreed on that. It was all about how it should be done. And that’s where teams often
get stuck.
This dysfunction is usually rooted in the lack of two things: trust and accountability. Once
there’s alignment on the outcome, it’s time to stop debating. Someone just needs to take
ownership of the solution, and the team needs to trust them to execute.
But here’s the thing: lack of trust is often rooted in fear—fear of failure, fear of letting go (I can
do it better), fear that the job won’t get done right – or my way. When people don’t fully trust
their teammates, they try to control instead of empowering them. That’s when meetings drag,
decisions stall, and progress dies. Building trust means being okay with letting someone else
take the wheel—even when they take a different route than you would.
That’s where accountability steps in. We ask: Do they have a plan? Are they committed to the
deadline? Do they have what they need to execute? Then we check in weekly to confirm.
As Patrick Lencioni said, “When there is an absence of accountability, people are more likely to
avoid difficult conversations and let standards slip.” Holding people accountable isn’t about
micromanaging—it’s about creating clarity and commitment. We don’t beat people up for
getting off track. We offer to help through curiosity and collaboration.
Lee Iacocca said it well: “I hire people brighter than me and get out of their way.” Companies
running on EOS® hire the right people and make sure they’re in the right seats. If that’s true for
your team, then let them run with the solution. As long as they meet the objective, debating
the method just burns time.
Define the “what” clearly—then step aside and let your team figure out the “how.” Trust your
team to deliver the results. That’s how you build momentum—and solve more than one issue in
45 minutes.
Need help solving your issues? brent.stromwall@eosworldwide.com.
IDS® and EOS® are registered trademarks of EOS Worldwide, LLC