Table Of ContentSupportive Accountability
How to Inspire People and Improve
Performance
Sylvia Melena
Melena Consulting Group
La Mesa, CA
Copyright © 2018 by Sylvia Melena
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in
part in any form.
Published by Melena Consulting Group.
3755 Avocado Blvd. #291
La Mesa, CA 91941
[email protected]
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018903952
ISBN: 978-0-9997435-1-5
Disclaimer: The author and publisher make no warranties regarding
the completeness and accuracy of the information contained in this
book and assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions. The
purchase of this book does not establish a consulting relationship with
the purchaser or reader. There is no guarantee regarding results. This
book is not a substitute for the advice of your organization’s human
resources professionals, legal counsel, or other designated experts.
Every situation is different. To mitigate risk to yourself and your
organization, seek advice from your organization’s designated experts.
The author and publisher assume no liability for damages that may
result from the use of the information contained within. The
characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this book are
fictitious. Any resemblance to real people, events, organizations, or
programs is merely coincidental and unintentional.
The Melena Consulting Group logo is a registered trademark of
Melena Consulting Group. “Supportive Accountability Leadership,”
the “Four Leadership Styles of Supportive Accountability,” and the “4
P’s of Accountability” are trademarks of Melena Consulting Group.
To my husband, daughter, son, and grandson, who love me
unconditionally.
First, Some Context
In my 20-year leadership career, I have seen managers and
supervisors struggle in holding their employees accountable. This has
been true for many people in supervisory roles and with various levels
of authority and experience, from newly minted, first-time supervisors
to seasoned managers responsible for entire workforces. What has
stood out to me is the lack of balance in their performance
management approach. Managers and supervisors who have struggled
to hold their employees accountable and improve performance the
right way have either been too harsh, too lenient, or too disengaged.
These approaches have been detrimental.
In this book, I unveil Supportive Accountability Leadership™, a
simple yet powerful framework that will help you create a positive
work environment while improving performance. I developed this
model based on two decades of my personal experience. According to
peer-reviewed international research in various disciplines, leaders
can successfully apply the seven elements of the model to improve
performance for individuals, teams, and entire workforces.
To provide you with examples of how to apply the performance
management principles in this book, I tell the story of Vic, Alex, and
Mary of YouthZone, a nonprofit organization, as well as other stories.
These stories were inspired by real-life experiences in my leadership
career; however, all the characters, organizations, and events are
fictitious. Any resemblance to real people, events, organizations, or
programs is merely coincidental and unintentional.
The story of Vic and Mary provides examples of data, reports, forms,
and other tools. These are for illustration purposes only. You have
permission to use any of the sample templates and customize them to
meet your needs.
While this book provides a solid foundation and starting point for
effective employee performance management, results can’t be
guaranteed, and success depends on the specifics of your unique
situation. As you apply the concepts and tools in this book, seek the
guidance of your organization’s designated performance management
and legal experts. They can help you minimize risk to you and your
organization.
Although I am a management consultant, the purchase of this book
doesn’t establish a consulting relationship between us. If you’re
interested in learning more about my company’s consulting and
training services, please email me at [email protected]
or visit my website at www.LeadershipStrength.com.
Thank you, and enjoy the book!
Sylvia Melena
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1
The Heart of Supportive Accountability
Chapter 2
The Art of Supportive Leadership
Chapter 3
Expectations that Inspire
Chapter 4
Monitoring: Focusing on What Matters
Chapter 5
Measuring Customer Service
Chapter 6
Best Practices in Performance Feedback
Chapter 7
Leading Performance Improvement Conversations
Chapter 8
Critical Support Factors that Unleash Performance
Chapter 9
The Power of Employee Recognition
Chapter 10
The 4 P’s of Accountability™
Chapter 11
Boosting Performance through Progressive Discipline
Chapter 12
The Case for Documentation
Chapter 13
Final Wrap Up: Practical Application
A Friendly Request
Free Copy of the Performance Documentation Toolkit
About the Author
Other Resources
Appendices
Introduction
You landed a job supervising employees. When you took the job, you
were full of passion and energy and ready to take on the world. Then
the inevitable happened. You’re faced with an employee who has
significant performance issues that seem insurmountable. You
completed extensive supervisor training and collected a wealth of
information about employee performance management, but it hasn’t
worked. You’re frustrated, overwhelmed, and drained.
You’re not alone. I have seen hundreds of leaders go through the
angst of trying to work with struggling employees. In the last 14 years,
I have taught and coached managers and supervisors to help
underperforming employees and document quickly and efficiently.
The goal has always been success, not to “get rid” of people.
My name is Sylvia Melena, and I am the Founder and CEO of
Melena Consulting Group, a leadership and management consulting
and training company based in San Diego County, California. I have a
Master’s in Leadership and Organizational Studies and experience in
middle, senior, and executive management. Most importantly, I have a
passion for leadership and a profound love for people. It’s out of this
background that I developed the Supportive Accountability
Leadership™ Model, which provides leaders with a balanced approach
to performance management.
The Supportive Accountability
Leadership™ Model
Supportive Accountability Leadership™ is a simple yet powerful
framework that will help you engage employees and improve
performance. At the core of the model is supportive accountability, a
blend of supportive supervision and strong accountability that sparks
employee performance.
With supportive accountability, you can achieve one of three
outcomes:
Outcome #1 - You can help the employee turn around substandard
performance and achieve success. This is the ultimate goal of
Supportive Accountability Leadership and the most rewarding of the
three outcomes.
Outcome #2 - The employee discovers that the job isn’t a good fit
and embraces a new role where he or she can succeed. This is a “win-
win-win” for you, the employee, and your organization.
Outcome #3 - The employee continues to underperform and is
removed from the position. This isn’t the goal, but it’s sometimes
necessary so that you, your team, and your organization can achieve
success. And success is about the people you were hired to serve—
employees, customers, and the leadership of your organization.
If you’re uncomfortable with outcome number three, you’re not
alone. Many supervisors struggle with disciplinary action. Let’s face it.
Discipline isn’t the fun part of our jobs as leaders. However, when you
chose to become a leader, it became an essential part of your role. It’s a
necessary element of effective performance management.
The Four Leadership Styles of Supportive
Accountability™
Supportive Accountability Leadership frames performance
management using four basic leadership styles. These styles are
determined by how much leaders strike a delicate balance between
supportiveness and accountability. In this book, I will provide a brief
overview of these four leadership styles—supportive unaccountability,
unsupportive accountability, total avoidance, and supportive
accountability. However, our focus throughout the book will be solely
on supportive accountability and how you can use this balanced
leadership approach to engage employees and promote strong
performance.
