There's so much interdependency in the workplace today, most of the people you're managing probably have to rely on other employees either inside the organization or outside, in your department or in another department, and sometimes that can get in the way of holding employees accountable. You might set a clear goal with a clear deadline. So you say,

"I want you to get all this stuff done; A, B, C, and D by Wednesday at midnight, are you with me?"
‘Yes."

"Are you sure?"
"Yes."

"I'm writing this down."
"Yes. I understand."

You come back on Wednesday at midnight (and say), "Did you do it?"
"No."

"Why not?"
"Well, I'm waiting for So and So to do Such and Such. I can't move forward until I get Such and Such from So and So."

I'm sure you have run across that. And in fact, how do you hold that employee accountable in that case? After all, you can't hold that employee accountable for what So and So did or didn't do. But here's what you can do: you can keep the spotlight on the concrete actions that this individual can control. So one thing you can say is,

"What are all the things you've done to try to get Such and Such out of So and So?"
Maybe the employee says, "Well, I sent an email," or "I left a message."

And that's when you say, "Oh, I'm so glad I asked. Let me make it clear. In the future if you need to get Such and Such out of So and So, we'd prefer that you stalk So and So. Call every five minutes. Send an email every six minutes. Send an overnight letter. Send a fax. Send a singing telegram."

See, by focusing on what this employee has done to get Such and Such out of So and So, you're keeping the spotlight on concrete actions this person can control. You can't hold this person accountable for what So and So does or doesn't do, but you can hold this person accountable for what he or she has done or hasn't done to get Such and Such out of So and So.

The other thing you can do is focus on, "What are all the concrete actions you could have taken that didn't require Such and Such from So and So?" And you can focus on, "Is there another way to get this done without Such and Such from So and So?"

And by the way, another thing this employee can control is, "If you run into a road block that's getting in your way, well you could let me know, and that way I could either help you get Such and Such from So and So or at least I would know that there might be a delay in completing the project."

That's how you keep the accountability process going; by keeping the spotlight on the concrete actions this person can control.

BONUS MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICE
Document employee performance every step of the way:
Try keeping a simple ledger for each employee you manage on paper or in a computer: In one column, "Expectations set, date/time." In the column next to it, "Performance reported, date/time."

What you need is a process that is simple and easy to use, not a bunch of cumbersome paperwork to hold you back. You need a process that is practical so you will stick to it. Think of something in your life that you currently keep track of in writing (either on paper or in a computer or hand-held device). How well does that system work for you? Do you stick with it? Do you use it consistently? Is it helpful for you? If so, can you think of a way to adapt the method you use in order to keep track of your employees' performance? How can you adapt the method that works so well for you in another sphere to use as your performance tracking system?