I recently watched Emily Smit from The Perk deliver a presentation on "The Accountability Formula," and it struck me how universally applicable her insights are—particularly for Training Managers who find themselves trapped in the endless cycle of sending reminder emails about mandatory training with little to show for it.
As someone who has observed the frustration of Training Managers repeatedly nudging employees to complete required courses, only to see the same names appear on delinquent reports month after month, I realized that Smit's formula offers a powerful solution to this widespread challenge. The problem isn't that employees are inherently resistant to learning—it's that most training accountability systems rely on assumptions rather than clear expectations and meaningful feedback.
Accountability often gets a bad rap in the workplace. Many leaders associate it with uncomfortable conversations, micromanagement, and punitive measures. But what if accountability could be transformed from a dreaded necessity into your team's secret weapon for success?
Emily Smit, Leadership Coach and Culture Consultant from The Perk, recently presented "The Accountability Formula" to demonstrate precisely how to make this transformation happen. Her research-backed approach proves that accountability isn't about being the "bad guy"—it's about creating an environment where everyone can thrive.
The Simple Formula That Changes Everything
At the heart of Smit's presentation is a deceptively simple equation:
Accountability = Mindset + Behaviors (Clear Expectations + Feedback)
This formula breaks down what many perceive as a complex leadership challenge into manageable and actionable components. The beauty lies in its simplicity—when you get these elements right, accountability becomes less about policing and more about empowering.
For Training Managers, this formula offers a roadmap out of the reminder email trap. Instead of assuming employees understand why training matters or what constitutes timely completion, the formula demands clarity upfront and meaningful follow-through afterward.
Why Accountability Matters More Than Ever
The statistics Smit shared are eye-opening. According to TTI Success Insights research, accountability is one of eight core factors that drive employee engagement. When teams have clear accountability structures, they experience:
- Increased trust and teamwork
- Better engagement and motivation
- Improved decision-making
- Higher performance and better solutions
- Greater transparency and open communication
- Positive influence on company culture
Perhaps most striking: 93% of American workers expect to be held accountable at work, yet 66% find it difficult to hold others accountable. This gap represents a massive opportunity for leaders willing to develop these skills—including Training Managers who often struggle to move beyond administrative reminders to meaningful accountability conversations.
The Mindset Shift: From Victim to Owner
Before diving into behaviors, Smit emphasized the importance of mindset. She introduced the "Accountability Ladder," which illustrates the journey from victim behaviors (blaming others, making excuses) to accountable behaviors (taking action, finding solutions).
The key mindset shift? Understanding that "accountability is how we win together." When leaders approach accountability from a place of belief in their team's capabilities rather than fear of their failures, everything changes.
For Training Managers, this means moving from "employees don't care about training" to "employees want to succeed, and I can help them understand how training supports their success." This shift transforms the entire dynamic from adversarial to collaborative.
Clear Expectations: The Foundation of Success
The first behavioral component—clear expectations—addresses a startling reality: according to research from Boldy & Co., 30% of the workday is wasted because people are unclear about who owns what and what they should be working on.
In the training context, this waste often manifests as employees genuinely not understanding:
- Why is specific training required for their role
- When exactly does it need to be completed
- What constitutes successful completion
- How training connects to their performance and career growth
- What support is available if they encounter difficulties
Smit's approach to setting clear expectations involves three steps:
1. Get it Out of Your Head: Make implicit expectations explicit
2. Explain the Why: Connect expectations to the bigger picture
3. Get Curious: Ask questions to ensure understanding
As Brené Brown noted, "Clear is kind, unclear is unkind." When Training Managers fail to communicate expectations clearly, they set their teams up for failure and frustration. Instead of sending generic reminders, effective Training Managers articulate specific expectations tied to business outcomes and individual development goals.
The Power of Strategic Expectation Setting
Using Amazon Prime as a case study, Smit illustrated how powerful expectations can be when properly aligned with organizational values. When Amazon promised "unlimited two-day delivery" in 2005, it created internal tension—but it also aligned with their core principle of being "customer obsessed" rather than "competitor obsessed."
The expectation wasn't arbitrary; it was strategic, connecting daily operations to long-term vision. This kind of alignment helps team members understand not just what they need to do, but why it matters.
Training Managers can apply this same principle by connecting required training to larger organizational goals. Instead of presenting compliance training as a necessary evil, effective Training Managers explain how it protects the company's reputation, ensures employee safety, or maintains certifications that enable business growth.
Feedback: Closing the Loop
The second behavioral component—feedback—is where many Training Managers stumble. Too often, the only feedback employees receive about training is either silence (when they complete it) or increasingly urgent reminders (when they don't).
Smit introduced the FBI Model for feedback:
- Feelings: Express how the behavior made you feel
- Behaviors: Describe the specific behavior
- Impact: Explain how the behavior affected the situation
This model is effective for both positive and constructive feedback, focusing on specific behaviors rather than personal character traits. The goal isn't punishment—it's course correction and reinforcement of desired behaviors.
For Training Managers, this means acknowledging when employees complete training promptly and connecting that behavior to positive outcomes. It also means having direct conversations with those who miss deadlines, focusing on the specific behavior (missing the deadline) and its impact (compliance risk, team inequity, missed development opportunity) rather than making character judgments about the employee's commitment to learning.
Making Accountability a Team Sport
What makes Smit's approach particularly powerful is her emphasis on making accountability collaborative rather than hierarchical. She advocates for asking questions like:
- "What do you expect from me?"
- "What will you need from me to be successful?"
- "If I were the best teammate in the world for you, what would that look like?"
This two-way approach builds trust and ensures that accountability flows in all directions, not just from manager to employee.
Training Managers can apply this by asking employees what obstacles they face in completing training, what format would be most effective for their learning style, or what scheduling accommodations would help them succeed. This collaborative approach transforms training from something imposed on employees to something designed with them.
The Cultural Transformation
When teams consistently apply the accountability formula, the cultural transformation is remarkable. Instead of dreading performance conversations, team members begin to see them as opportunities for growth and alignment. Instead of avoiding difficult topics, teams develop the muscle to address challenges directly—what Smit calls "being the buffalo" and running into the storm rather than away from it.
In training contexts, this transformation means shifting from a culture where training is viewed as a burden to one where it's seen as an investment in individual and organizational success. Employees begin to view Training Managers as partners in their development, rather than as enforcers of bureaucratic requirements.
Practical Implementation for Training Managers
The presentation included practical exercises that Training Managers can adapt immediately:
1. Pre-experience Success: Visualize what success looks like when training accountability works well, then work backward to identify the expectations needed today
2. Practice the FBI Model: Use real scenarios to practice giving both positive feedback (for timely completion) and constructive feedback (for delays)
3. Get Curious: Develop questions that uncover obstacles and create collaborative solutions
Training Managers can also apply Smit's expectation-setting framework by clearly communicating:
- What training is required and by when
- Why the training matters to the employee's role and career
- How completion will be tracked and recognized
- What support is available for those who need help
- What happens if deadlines are missed
The Bottom Line
The Perk's approach to accountability offers a refreshing alternative to traditional command-and-control leadership. By focusing on clear expectations and providing effective feedback through the lens of an accountable mindset, leaders can create environments where accountability feels supportive rather than punitive.
For Training Managers specifically, this approach offers a way out of the endless reminder cycle that benefits no one. Instead of repeatedly telling employees what they already know (they're behind on training), Training Managers can focus on creating clarity about expectations and providing meaningful feedback that drives behavior change.
As Smit emphasized throughout her presentation, accountability isn't about making people feel bad when they fall short—it's about giving them the clarity and support they need to succeed. When done right, accountability becomes something teams actually want, not something they endure.
The formula is simple, but the impact is profound. Clear expectations eliminate ambiguity and empower ownership. Effective feedback creates learning opportunities and strengthens relationships. Together, they transform accountability from a necessary evil into a competitive advantage—even in the often-challenging world of training compliance.
To learn more about The Perk's leadership and culture development programs, visit choosetheperk.com. Emily Smit can be connected with on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/emilycedelman.
