I was recently asked about “the topic of accountability through the lens of Neuromanagement”, which seemed a bit serious for first thing on a Monday morning, when my eyes were still adjusting to the day and my brain probably a touch foggy. The problem was not what to say, but where to start. So, let’s give it a go.
Neuromanagement and motivation
Neuromanagement is different from the normal management things of telling people what to do, or trying to be a friend, or guessing how far to go in being assertive or letting people have free reign, or whatever we have all tried at one time or another, by privileging natural motivation, reward and wellbeing processes. Yes, compared to patchy guesswork, it’s a cheat – a great one where everyone wins.
Think of it this way: subconsciously, we expect there is a sacrifice, a cost, be it in time, effort, behaviour, or not doing more pleasurable things, to avoid incurring a loss, remedy a loss, or pursue a reward. For example, turning up to work on time is necessary to avoid losing one’s job, where apologising and staying back might be volunteered to remedy having been late, and of course someone might put in extra time to achieve more. It seems fair as a generalisation for life – don’t do the wrong thing, fix the things you go wrong, and do even better than before.
Our motivation systems expect this cost vs reward transaction, along with all the subjective expectations of value we each bring to it. “Lazy” people don’t expect to have to do much for their rewards or avoid losses (or don’t value them or think their efforts make a difference), where “hard workers” expect they need to expend a lot of effort as just part of what they normally do (or have a lot on the line to lose or gain, but that’s borderline unsustainable if chronic).
Accountability as motivation
Where does accountability come into it? This effort vs reward transaction means we have to be a part of the solution for it to be truly rewarding. Being given things is often nice, but it doesn’t feel as good as when we earn them. We subconsciously, objectively, know what we deserve and don’t deserve, and the balance feels best when it feels right. We pay a fair price.
This isn’t just internal (sorry to all those who think genuine motivation is only intrinsic). We are also rewarded by the smiles, thanks and appreciation of the people our efforts helped. Cooking for the family is rewarding, whereas cooking a meal for oneself can be a struggle – sometimes it doesn’t seem worth the effort. Greater purpose and external feedback, direct, indirect, or even just as visibility or maintaining a reputation, really matters.
Achievement and responsibility (linked to empowerment and identity as basic needs) are powerful motivational triggers, either as prevention of a loss (the embarrassment or guilt at not doing something), or as a reward (the pride or status from having done it).
Without achievement, what’s the point of the effort? Without responsibility, why care? Removing achievement and responsibility reduces stress, but it also reduces motivation. Without that level of accountability, whether it’s for the performance of a team or for oneself, potential losses and gains are diminished, and so motivation is significantly reduced.
At a higher level, we all know that purpose is a big motivational influence. Why we do something is often more important than what we do. Outside of the individual purpose of a project or task, accountability is a purpose within itself. “I will take responsibility and do a great job because it is a reflection of me and how I want to be seen by others”. It might seem selfish or superficial to cynics, but self-esteem and a positive reputation are essential shapers of behaviour and effort for any functioning group.
Accountability is critical
Where non-accountable environments and cultures eliminate the difference to be made to dopamine levels from productive, responsible work and behaviour, brains start searching elsewhere – gossip, chatter, checking social media, competing socially, or generally messing about, anything to get that temporary “sugar” boost. The alternative is, with no loss (accountability) or reward (achievement) in sight, motivation simply drops, and boredom sets in.
The equation is simple – the more there is to lose or gain, the higher the stress, and the higher the motivation – but only to the point that people feel they can understand and act on the sources of stress. So, the flipside of this is that accountability must have boundaries that people feel they can work within, according to their knowledge, skills, autonomy, authority, self-belief, perceptions of fairness, feelings of support, access to resources and so on.
Accountability without choice, understanding or control is a disaster for most people, with no solution in sight apart from them escaping (absenteeism, resignation) for their own wellbeing. If you feel let down that someone left when you needed them most to step up, maybe this is a reason.
Accountability, through its absence, removes the motivation to perform and behave in ways that benefit the organisation and those within and around it. It also removes the chance that work can be truly rewarding outside of a hobby or social occasion. Not the stuff of high performance or fulfilment.
Accountability, by being linked to win or loss consequences, within boundaries is ideal. It’s perfect, it suits our motivation and wellbeing processes really, really well. It’s how we evolved. And that’s why it is inherent in our model of Neuromanagement, where empowerment is coupled with accountability. They work together, joined at the hip, each feeding and feeding off the other, creating wellbeing through using natural motivation processes to optimise performance, behaviour and wellbeing.
So, despite being Monday morning and my to-do list looking daunting for the day, I feel good having completed the task of writing this article – one I was being held accountable for by my team. Next on the list: candidate analysis for which I will be held accountable for by my clients. It’s going to be a good day!
Ready to unlock true motivation and high performance in your team? Discover how Neuromanagement and accountability can transform your workplace. Contact 21 Triangles today and let’s find the answer together.
