Accountability 100: Claim the Result

Imperative Explained

Claim the Result means taking end-to-end responsibility for a deliverable, decision, or outcome. “Good” looks like declaring ownership early, setting clear checkpoints, communicating proactively, and ensuring completion without needing to be chased. Leaders who claim the result create clarity and stability, making work easier for everyone around them.
This imperative drives two outcomes: higher ownership across deliverables and less managerial overhead tracking commitments. When people step forward, leaders stop micromanaging. Teams stop waiting. Projects stop drifting. Execution becomes predictable because ownership is transparent and consistent.

Five Behaviors

• Step forward early — Don’t wait for someone else to claim it.
  
  
• Declare ownership clearly — Let partners know you own the outcome.
  
  
• Create proactive checkpoints — Build visibility before someone asks.
  
  
• Deliver without chasing — Follow through without reminders.
  
  
• Close the loop — Communicate completion to all stakeholders.
  
  

If You Don’t

Work drifts. Teams duplicate effort or drop tasks entirely. Leaders waste hours chasing updates and managing around unclear ownership. Deadlines slip and partners escalate due to uncertainty. SLAs break because no one feels fully responsible for delivery. The operational and financial cost shows up in rework, delays, and reduced throughput across the team.

If You Do

Execution speeds up. Ownership becomes reliable and visible. Managers regain capacity because they no longer chase work. KPIs improve: commitment reliability increases, span-of-control pressure drops, and project completion rates rise. Cross-functional partners experience smoother handoffs and faster delivery.

Mini-Case

A data analyst noticed a cross-functional deliverable stalled for weeks because no one had claimed it. Instead of waiting, she stepped forward, clarified the goal with stakeholders, set a simple checkpoint schedule, and delivered the final output ahead of expectations. The project moved from stalled to complete within four days. Her manager reported hours saved due to reduced oversight, and the partner team adopted “claim the result” as a new norm.

Try It This Week

1. Claim one stalled deliverable.
   
   
2. Announce ownership clearly to partners.
   
   
3. Set two visible checkpoints.
   
   
4. Deliver without reminders.
   
   
5. Close the loop with all stakeholders.

Learn More

Accountability levels stand alone. For stronger follow-through, explore Integrity 100: Run on an Inner Scorecard to ground ownership in principle and Purpose 200: Make Usefulness the Point to ensure the work you own creates real value. Combined, they help teams deliver reliably and intentionally.