Discipline 4: Create a Cadence of Accountability
Regular accountability for goal achievement
Discipline 4 is about creating a cadence of accountability, where team members meet regularly to discuss progress and plan for the next steps. This discipline is critical for achieving goals in a whirlwind environment, where distractions and obstacles are common. By establishing a regular rhythm of accountability, teams can stay focused and motivated, and make progress towards their goals.
- Regular accountability is essential for goal achievement
- A cadence of accountability helps teams stay focused and motivated
- The whirlwind is never allowed into a WIG session, to maintain focus on goal achievement
- Establish a regular WIG sessionHold a weekly meeting to discuss progress and plan for the next steps. This meeting should be held at the same time and day every week, and should be limited to discussing actions and results that move the scoreboard.Pro tipMake the WIG session a sacred and non-negotiable part of the team's scheduleWarningMissing even a single week can cause the team to lose valuable momentum and impact results
- Limit discussion to actions and results that move the scoreboardThe WIG session should be focused solely on discussing actions and results that move the scoreboard, and not on discussing whirlwind issues. If necessary, hold a staff meeting after the WIG session to discuss other topics.Pro tipUse a scoreboard to track progress and stay focused on goal achievementWarningAllowing the whirlwind into the WIG session can derail progress and distract the team from their goals
- Make commitments and hold each other accountableTeam members should make commitments to each other to take specific actions and achieve specific results, and should hold each other accountable for following through on those commitments.Pro tipUse a clear and concise language to make commitments and track progressWarningLack of accountability can lead to lack of progress and goal achievement
Erik Weihenmayer's team used a cadence of accountability to achieve their goal of climbing Mt. Everest. They held regular tent meetings to discuss progress and plan for the next steps, and made commitments to each other to take specific actions and achieve specific results.
A low-performing plant used the 4 disciplines of execution, including Discipline 4, to improve their quality score and production numbers. They established a regular WIG session and made commitments to each other to take specific actions and achieve specific results.
The concept of Discipline 4 was developed through the authors' experience working with teams and organizations, where they observed that regular accountability was a key factor in achieving goals. The authors drew on their own experiences, as well as research and case studies, to develop the principles and practices of Discipline 4.