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Stop Solving The Wrong Problem
Everything looks fine - until it’s not...
Justin Mecham
June 25, 2025
Hey Full Potential Zoners!
Almost out of time - I am hosting a totally free masterclass tomorrow on how to create and sell digital products - save your seat here.
Now let’s get into it!
If no one owns it— it doesn’t get done.
When accountability is missing, teams don’t just stall.
They start to break.
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Use my sheet to build real accountability.
When everyone knows what they own— they stop blaming.
They start delivering.
Today we are going to help leaders master this by using:
‘Accountability - The Right Way to Hold People Accountable'.
Let’s dive in!
Download This PDF + my Top 60+ Cheat Sheets At Bottom of Email
4 Real-Life Ways to Hold People Accountable
1. The Ownership Framework
Scenario: Someone keeps asking for sign-off before doing anything. You need them to take charge and own the outcome.
Stop giving step-by-step directions.
Set the outcome, then step back.
Give them a final deadline, not daily check-ins.
Say:
“You don’t need to run every step by me. Think of this as your project, not just a task. If you were the decision-maker here, what would you do?”
At the end of the project, have them run the debrief—not you.
“You lead the recap. Tell me what went well, what didn’t, and what you’d change next time.”
2. The Team Accountability Framework
Scenario: Everyone’s working hard, but results are all over the place. You need the team to share ownership, not just divide tasks.
Create one team scoreboard with visible goals. Not individual trackers.
Open every team meeting with one question: “How are we doing as a team?”
Say:
“We’re not just a group of people doing separate tasks. We win or lose together. Let’s start measuring success as a team, not just by role.”
Let the team decide how they’ll hold each other to deadlines.
“What’s one way we can keep each other accountable this week—without waiting on me?”
3. The Milestone Framework
Scenario: A long project is dragging and no one feels progress. You need to break it into steps that keep people moving.
Set 3-5 milestone markers with clear, visible names (e.g. “client test complete”).
Set a short review meeting after each one—15 minutes max.
Say:
“Instead of waiting until the end, let’s aim for one clear checkpoint every two weeks. What’s a milestone we can hit by next Friday?”
Celebrate the win—even if small. Say something. Mark the moment.
“We hit the first one. This matters. Now let’s talk about what’s next and what needs adjusting.”
4. The Feedback Loop Framework
Scenario: People are making the same mistakes, but no one is speaking up early. You need fast feedback and quick changes—not long reviews.
Set a 10-minute feedback check every week. No slides. Just quick reflection.
Ask:
“What’s one thing we need to change right now?”
Say:
“Don’t wait for perfect work. Show rough drafts early so we can fix problems before they grow.”
Model the habit yourself. Say where you messed up first.
“I missed the mark on how I explained that. Here’s what I should’ve said instead. Now your turn—what’s one thing you’d redo from this week?”
You're already giving advice.
To friends. To coworkers. Maybe even to your audience.
But most of it disappears the second the conversation ends.
Here’s a better way to think about it:
Step 1: Start Noticing Repeat Advice
Next time someone says:
“Hey, how did you do that?”
“Can you send me what you used for that?”
“Do you have a process for this?”
Write it down. That’s not just a compliment—it’s demand.
You don’t need new ideas. You need to capture the ones people already want from you.
Step 2: Package the Pattern
Instead of explaining the same thing over and over, turn it into one of these:
A quick-start checklist
A recorded walkthrough
A “what to avoid” list based on mistakes you've already made
A swipe file of what you use (emails, scripts, outlines, templates)
It doesn’t have to be long. It just has to be useful.
Step 3: Turn One Answer Into One Link
You don’t need a full product suite or a long sales page.
Just one link to something that saves someone time, answers a question, or shows a shortcut.
This is how value builds quietly—behind the scenes—without burning you out.
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Upload your advice, set a price, and share your link.
Your help becomes a product—without repeating yourself.
Here's how you can make it real today:
Daily Accountability Challenge
Step 1: Choose Your Focus
Pick one of the four accountability frameworks you want to work on today.
Ask yourself:
“Where am I seeing the most confusion or dropped balls?”
“Which approach would help me lead better right now?”
Step 2: Spot a Real Situation
Think ahead to a moment today when accountability might break down.
It could be a team meeting, a 1:1, or a task handoff.
Don’t wait for a crisis—pick something real and routine.
Step 3: Set a Clear Intention
Decide what action you’ll take to show leadership around accountability.
Examples:
Give someone full ownership instead of micromanaging
Ask a team to define their own milestone
Share quick feedback before it’s too late
Clarify one unclear role on a shared task
Step 4: Do It—and Watch Closely
When the moment hits, take your action.
Then observe:
Did people respond differently?
Was there more clarity or ownership after?
Did energy shift once expectations were named?
Step 5: Write It Down Before the Day Ends
At the end of the day, ask:
What action did I take—and what changed because of it?
What would I try again or do differently tomorrow?
AI Prompt: “Act as a leadership coach. Help me handle a real situation today where I want to create better accountability.
Framework I’m using: [Ownership / Team Accountability / Milestones / Feedback Loop]
Work Situation: [Briefly describe the moment, e.g., “handover meeting” or “team check-in”]
Problem I’m seeing: [e.g., “no one’s taking full responsibility” or “feedback is too vague”]
Goal for today: [e.g., “set clear ownership” or “give early, helpful feedback”]Give me:
A simple plan for what to say and do
Clear phrases I can actually use
One tip to make the message stick
Keep it short, real, and easy to apply.”
The best accountability systems don’t depend on one person.
When the whole team takes ownership, things don’t fall through the cracks.
Most people don’t need more reminders—they need a clearer picture of what success looks like.
The real shift happens when people see that responsibility means trust, not fear.
Roles should be clear—but outcomes should be shared.
Ask often: “Who else needs to be part of this?”
When accountability is shared, results come faster and with less stress.
If you want better outcomes, start by giving people something solid to own.
Until next time and with lots of love,
Justin
This Week’s Growth Recommendations
Book To Read:
“The Oz Principle: Getting Results through Individual and Organizational Accountability” by Roger Connors, Tom Smith, and Craig Hickman (see it here)
TED Talk to Watch:
“The Puzzle of Motivation" by Dan Pink (see it here)
Guide to Download:
“Create Once. Earn Forever.” My personal step-by-step plan on how I earn money as a creator and how you can too (see it here)
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