Policy : Hold Accountability with Care

Commitment to Accountability That Develops Accountability without care is punitive and destroys trust. Care without accountability enables underperformance and erodes team standards. The most effective leaders hold both simultaneously: they are clear about expectations, direct about when they are not met, and genuinely invested in the person's success. This is what Kim Scott calls Radical Candor — care personally, challenge directly.

What This Means Holding accountability with care means addressing performance and behaviour issues directly and promptly, while treating people as capable adults who can grow. It means being clear about what is expected, honest about where the gap is, and committed to supporting the person to close it.

Our commitment to holding accountability with care is built on:

• Clarity Before Accountability – We do not hold people accountable for expectations they did not know or did not understand. Clarity comes first.
• Early, Direct Conversations – We address concerns as they arise, not after they have accumulated into a formal performance process. Early conversations are kinder and more effective.
• Separating the Person from the Behaviour – We are specific about what happened and its impact, rather than making judgments about the person's character or capability.
• Supporting to Succeed – When someone is not meeting expectations, leaders invest in understanding why and in providing the support, clarity, or resources needed to improve.
• Consistency – We hold the same standards for everyone, regardless of seniority, visibility, or relationship with the leader.

Why This Matters Avoiding accountability conversations out of discomfort is a form of disrespect — it withholds feedback people need to grow and allows problems to compound. Handled well, accountability conversations are acts of genuine investment in another person's development.

Our Expectation Leaders must address performance and behaviour concerns directly, promptly, and with care. They must not allow issues to fester, and must treat accountability as an act of support rather than a management procedure.