Whenever a major account cancels, our VP of Operations and VP of Account Management start a passive-aggressive finger-pointing campaign over who dropped the ball. How do we use the Accountability Chart and IDS to permanently stop this blame cycle?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This blame cycle is a clear symptom of structural ambiguity and a lack of trust. When leaders point fingers, it means they are more concerned with self-preservation than solving the problem. To resolve this, you must first look at your Accountability Chart to ensure there is no overlap in roles or confusion about who owns the client relationship at each stage.

Once the boundaries are crystal clear, you must address the specific issue using the IDS® process during your next Level 10 Meeting™. Bring the cancelled account to the issues list. Do not let the conversation devolve into personal attacks.

Start by identifying the root cause of the cancellation. Ask objective, data-driven questions. Was it a failure in onboarding, which might sit in operations, or was it a breakdown in client communication, which sits in account management? Look at the scorecard metrics to see where the process broke down.

The goal of IDS® is to solve the issue forever, not to assign blame. Discuss what changes need to be made to your processes, training, or software to prevent this from happening again.

By focusing on the process rather than the person, you foster healthy relationships and build trust on the leadership team. This reduces friction, accelerates your operational results, and builds a robust, dependable operation that prospective buyers will value highly.