Accountability is a core responsibility of leadership.

If you’re unable or unwilling to hold your team accountable, then you’re ineffective as a leader. Accountability is difficult, especially if you fear confrontation. But holding someone accountable doesn’t mean it’s going to lead to conflict.

These are the accountability mistakes all leaders must avoid:

1. Unclear hand-offs: you can’t hold someone accountable with a messy hand-off. Accurately tell them what they need to do, by when, how it should be reported back to you, and when you’ll follow up with them.

2. Dropped deliverables: all deliverables must be captured systematically, presented publicly (ideally), and followed up on consistently.

3. Inaccurate or hidden assumptions: most people need more context that you assume they know. For example, don’t assume a new employee has as much context as your fifteen years in a company.

4. Lack of follow-through: always follow-up with how and what people are accountable for. You’re the Chief Reminding Officer, reminding your team of what’s most important.

5. A culture of blame, excuses, and defensiveness: set the standard. A failure of your team is a failure of you as their leader. There’s nobody to blame but yourself.

6. Treating your team like children: don’t let them off the hook. Don’t protect them from low-level mistakes that they can learn from. And most of all, believe in what they’re capable of achieving until they prove otherwise.

If you want to be a great leader, learn to hold your team accountable in a healthy and positive way.