Accountability by Proximity and Specificity
Anson Dorrance is undoubtedly one of the greatest soccer coaches of all time. As former U.S. Women’s National Team head coach and legendary University of North Carolina head women’s soccer coach, he has led his teams to win a staggering number of championships and developed some of the best female soccer players in the world.
For courageous, long-term thinkers, the essence of the Dorrance model of leadership is attainable.
It’s all about accountability by proximity and specificity. Every controllable facet of performance is measured, visible, and rewarded.
The player who took the hardest shot in yesterday’s practice? How well you’re communicating with your teammates? All of it is tracked.
During practice and games, student managers and assistant coaches stay close to players (proximity) to track detailed metrics on everything that supports what the team values (specificity). And every day, you see where you stand against the team’s expectations and your previous day’s performance.
Dorrance calls it the “Competitive Cauldron.” It creates a lot of discomfort, but most players thank him for it. And they win.
While his methods may seem extreme, they are transferable to you and me as we try to build championship teams.
Case in point: Jay Carroll.
Jay is the CEO of a thriving direct marketing company who cares so much about the long-term success of his people and company that he measures, evaluates, and discusses what most leaders don’t.
Their leaders invest an extensive amount of time in close proximity to their people (virtual or in-person), specifically:
- Ensuring that all team members fully grasp and apply the company’s seven core values.
- Incorporating company values into 1-1s and performance reviews.
- Providing training to help people improve how they can better live out the company values and performance expectations.
This is not your standard check-the-box corporate performance management process. I work with a lot of teams, and I can tell you, this takes on a gravitas that you just don’t see at other organizations.
Everyone knows what the company expects every day — including the attitude expected and expectations for how you treat others. And the company leaders try to ensure that everyone always knows where they stand relative to those expectations. The leaders stay close (proximity) and focus on the details that matter to culture and performance (specificity).
Here’s some proof that it’s working.
During an executive team meeting that I joined last week, multiple people reflected on Jay’s leadership style. While acknowledging that Jay has high standards and can be demanding, his executive team members said things like:
- He has believed in me when I didn’t and pushed me to be a better version of myself.
- He holds me to a higher standard, and I know I can live up to it.
- He has treated me as an “end” not a “means,” focusing on all parts of who I am as a person.
It sounded like a corporate version of Anson Dorrance.
What about you?
I get it. You’re a busy leader. You may lead a lot of people. You hire good people who don’t need to be micromanaged. You expect that people have the maturity to figure things out. You set a good example and expect people to follow. I get it. That’s what most leaders try to do.
Having said that…imagine leading with a unique level of accountability by proximity and specificity. Imagine elevating the accountability for every person every day because you believed in what was possible. Because you believed in the undiscovered potential of each person. Your employees may not ask for it, but they will likely thank you for it later.
What might unfold over time if you have the courage to lead like Anson Dorrance or Jay Carroll?
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