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Written by Machen MacDonald

If you’re a leader who’s constantly chasing your people down, reminding them to hit deadlines, or re-explaining expectations you thought were crystal clear, this article is your wake-up call.

Marcus Aurelius said, “Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.”

Having worked with hundreds of leaders, here’s what I have found: You don’t have an accountability problem. You have a hiring and culture problem.

And you’re not alone.

Most leaders were taught to inspire, motivate, and develop their team as if the people they hired were unfinished blocks of clay, just waiting to be shaped. But in reality, by the time someone hits the workforce, their sense of ownership is already pretty well-formed, which is why trying to coach accountability into someone who doesn’t have it is like yelling at a brick wall, hoping it’ll turn into a window.

Accountable People Don’t Need Managing.

Let’s be clear, great leadership matters. It creates direction, removes friction, and unlocks performance. But what most leaders call “leadership” is actually a form of micromanaging dressed up with a smile.

The highest-performing teams don’t need hand-holding. They need clarity, ownership, and alignment. That’s it.

So the real question isn’t: “How do I get my people to be more accountable?”

It’s: “How do I attract and select people who already are?”

Introducing the A.C.T.I.O.N. Framework.

I teach leaders a simple acronym that becomes a filter for how they hire, lead, and shape culture. It’s called A.C.T.I.O.N. because accountable cultures are built by leaders who take real action.

A – Align with Your Standards

Get radically honest about what you expect. Accountability isn’t just hitting KPIs, it’s how people respond when they don’t.

C – Clarify Consequences

Accountability without consequences is just a suggestion. People need to know what happens if they show up, and what happens if they don’t.

T – Test for Ownership Early

During hiring, ask: “Tell me about a time you failed and how you handled it.” Their language will tell you everything. Victims blame. Owners reflect.

I – Integrate Cultural Signals

Don’t just talk values, bake them into job descriptions, interview questions, onboarding, and weekly meetings. Let people feel the standards before they even apply.

O – Offer the Mirror

The culture mirrors the leader. If you’re not modeling ownership, apologizing when you miss, and holding yourself to the same standard, don’t expect anyone else to.

N – Never Rescue the Wrong Fit

This is the hardest one. But as Seneca said, “It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste much of it.” Stop wasting yours trying to turn D-players into A-players.

Here’s what usually happens: You’re desperate to fill a role. The candidate interviews well. They seem nice, smart, and competent. So you hire them and a few months in, you’re coaching them on the same stuff every week made up of the big three…timeliness, follow-through, and attitude. You think, “Maybe I need to invest more in them.” The answer to that is No. You need to let them go and upgrade your hiring lens. If your standards aren’t clearly defined and fiercely protected, you’re not leading a culture. You’re hosting a revolving door of mediocrity.

Curate, Don’t Carry.

Leadership isn’t about being the strongest. It’s about building the strongest system. It needs to be one where ownership, resilience, and high standards are the norm. That starts by refusing to carry people who won’t carry their own weight. If they aren’t carrying their weight, they are pushing their luck.

As Socrates said, “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”

Start building a team that inspires you rather than expires you.

Consider this, “What becomes possible for me, my team, and my business if every person here fully owned their outcomes?”

Not some of the time. Not when it’s easy. But always.

What would you finally be free to create? Where could you finally scale with confidence?
And who would you need to become to attract that kind of team? Because it starts with you.

You were never meant to carry your business on your back. You were meant to lead it from your standards, not your stress.

I’ll leave you with a challenge:

Audit your last 3 hires. Did they reflect the A.C.T.I.O.N. framework? Or did you hire based on resume and hope?

If even one didn’t align, get curious. Might it make sense to change how you hire from here on out.

It is easier to lead accountable people than it is to hold people accountable. Seek, attract, and hire the accountable.

Make it up, make it fun, and get it done!

#1 bestselling author Machen MacDonald, CPCC, CCSC is an award-winning certified life strategist and business coach with ProBrilliance Leadership Institute in Grass Valley, CA. He helps professionals bring their “A” Game to their Hero’s Journey. He can be reached at [email protected] and 530-273-8000