Independent Contractor Accountability

Holding vendors, suppliers, and other independent contractors accountable can present a challenge, especially when your organization is not their only priority. Moreover, priorities between independent contractors and their client organizations can often slide into conflict. Even when customer satisfaction is a high priority, what’s good for the service provider may not be good for the service receiver and vice versa.

For example, let’s assume an organization has outsourced part of its IT function, using an independent contractor to accomplish occasional programming when internal resources are stretched. The contracting organization wants exceptional immediate programming assistance whenever they need it. In contrast, the independent contractor prefers large predictable, repeatable projects so it can maximize efficiency and profitability. Consequently, alignment and accountability around desired results can present serious challenges.

When you engage independent contractors, do you take time to make sure your expectations and their priorities are aligned? If you say, “Why should I worry about that?” or “When a third-party provider takes a contract, I expect them to deliver,” then prepare yourself for disappointment.

To avoid such disappointment with vendors, suppliers, and independent contractors, bring them into your expectations chain and apply the Accountability Sequence. Forming expectations is the first step in the Accountability Sequence, which then progresses to Communicating, Aligning and Inspecting your expectations. These four elements—Form, Communicate, Align and Inspect—present a complete model for how you can hold others accountable in a positive, principled way.

You can learn more about the Accountability Sequence and how to hold independent contractors accountable for the results you desire in a positive, principled way by joining the Accountability Community at www.partnersinleadership.com, where you can review actual client case studies.

Accountability Sequence and Accountability Community are registered trademarks of Partners In Leadership, Inc.