Bottom Line Up Front BLUF: Accountability Doesn’t Happen by Chance—It’s Engineered Through Clarity and Consistency
You are a leader committed to excellence, but sustained performance won’t happen unless your team is aligned, equipped, and held accountable.
The problem? Too many leaders set expectations but don’t reinforce them with the structure, feedback, and accountability needed to make them stick.
The Arcqus Leadership Success Model™ gives you a 4-step blueprint to build lasting accountability and drive results by design—not default.
The plan:
Clarify expectations so there’s no ambiguity about what success looks like.
Measure consistently using shared metrics to reinforce alignment and focus.
Coach and train regularly to equip your team and create a feedback-first culture.
Build a culture of accountability where ownership is normalized, not enforced.
Avoid the trap of assumption-led leadership. Clarity and follow-through—not good intentions—create high-performance teams.
Success looks like: a values-driven culture where expectations are met, progress is tracked, growth is continuous, and accountability is self-directed.
Clear expectations and consistent accountability are the cornerstones of success in leadership. The Arcqus Leadership Success Model™ provides a robust framework that enables leaders to guide their team’s success intentionally. This model drives consistent results and sustainable growth by setting clear goals, tracking progress, coaching teams, and fostering a culture of accountability.
A Personal Leadership Lesson Learned from Chick-fil-A
Just over 13 years ago, I was privileged to visit Chick-fil-A’s headquarters in Atlanta, GA. I sat in a room with Dan Cathy, the CEO at the time, who shared a story that has stayed with me. He talked about how his father, Truett Cathy, introduced what is now one of the most recognizable parts of Chick-fil-A’s customer service experience: the simple phrase “my pleasure.”
Truett had visited a Ritz-Carlton and was struck by how the staff responded to “thank you” with “my pleasure” instead of “you’re welcome.” That simple shift changed the tone of the interaction, making it feel warmer and more personal. Truett wanted the same for Chick-fil-A. He didn’t just ask his team to start saying “my pleasure,” he set a new standard.
“My pleasure” is more than an expectation, it’s a culture…
What really resonated with me was how intentional he was. He didn’t just give the directive and walk away. The company installed a measurement system to gauge how often the appropriate phrase was being used, coached their employees, and built accountability into the system. Around 60% of interactions in the first year included “my pleasure.” But by the third year, that number had climbed to over 90%, thanks to ongoing training and reinforcement.
Hearing Dan tell that story was a great lesson on the power of clear communication, setting expectations, and following through. That philosophy is central to the Arcqus Leadership Success Model™.
Step 1: Set Clear Expectations
The first step in the Arcqus Leadership Success Model™ is clarity of expectations. Setting expectations isn’t just saying, “Here’s what we need to do.” It’s about defining success in terms of results and behavior and ensuring everyone is on board and aligned with the expectations.
Every leader should ask themselves: Is what’s in my head understood and agreed upon by the people involved?
It sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how often things fall apart because of misaligned expectations. You may know precisely what you mean, but does your team? That’s why an emphasis on two-way communication is so important. It’s not enough to tell people what you expect; you need to ensure they understand it the same way you do.
This principle likely guided Truett Cathy when introducing “my pleasure” at Chick-fil-A. He didn’t just expect employees to use the phrase; he set a clear and mutual understanding of why it mattered and how it aligned with the company’s vision.
Step 2: Establish a System of Measurement
After setting clear expectations, you need to know how to track progress. This is where a system of measurement comes in. It’s about more than just metrics. It’s about clearly articulating how to measure success and stay on track.
Ask yourself: How will we know when we’ve met the expectation?
Everyone must agree on what success looks like and how it will be measured. At Chick-fil-A, they measured how often employees said “my pleasure.” Year after year, they tracked their progress and used that data to reinforce coaching and training. It wasn’t just about hitting a target but creating a culture where the standard became second nature.
This could be qualitative (observational) or quantitative (numbers) for you and your teams. Everyone must understand how the expectations are being measured and why it matters.
Step 3: Provide Coaching and Training
Expectations alone aren’t enough. Your team needs the skills, resources, and feedback to succeed. That’s where coaching and training come in. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to ensure your team is set up for success and able to meet the expectations you’ve established and agreed upon.
One key question: Have I provided the resources needed for success?
This can take many forms, from putting the right people in the right seats to building a culture of development and growth. The key is to provide feedback along the way; a strong feedback loop is critical for ongoing success.
At Chick-fil-A, after setting the expectation of using “my pleasure,” they didn’t just let employees figure it out on their own. They provided training, coached people when they missed the mark, and reinforced the behavior. It wasn’t a one-time thing—it was an ongoing practice.
In the Arcqus Leadership Success Model™, coaching isn’t just about fixing mistakes. It’s about building a feedback-first culture where continuous improvement is encouraged, and everyone feels engaged in the process of reaching the goals.
Step 4: Create a Culture of Leadership Accountability
Finally, we come to accountability. This is where leaders ensure that commitments are met and where individuals take ownership of their role in achieving success. The best accountability is self-accountability, but it’s the leader’s job to create a culture of accountability regardless of whether it is fueled by intrinsic or extrinsic motivations.
Ask yourself: Am I creating and reinforcing a culture of accountability?
Accountability doesn’t mean pointing fingers when something goes wrong. It means consistently following up, ensuring everyone is delivering on their commitments, and creating a space where people feel responsible for their outcomes.
In Chick-fil-A’s case, accountability was baked into the system. Every year, they measured progress and held themselves accountable to the goal. That’s why, over time, the “my pleasure” standard became part of the company’s DNA.
Conclusion: The Arcqus Leadership Success Model™ in Action
The Arcqus Leadership Success Model™ is about more than processes. It’s about building a culture where clear communication, clarity of understanding, and a culture of accountability drive success. Leaders who follow this model set their teams up to excel by defining clear expectations, establishing systems of measurement, providing coaching, and creating accountability.
Remember, it all starts with communication. Without it, nothing else works. But when communication is strong and flows both ways, you create an environment where teams are empowered to meet expectations, improve through coaching, and take responsibility for their success.
Like Truett Cathy’s “my pleasure” expectation, leadership success doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, persistence, and a commitment to reinforce the right behaviors through constant, clear communication.
When all the puzzle pieces come together, though, the results speak for themselves. If you’re ready to take the next step in your leadership growth, schedule a free consultation with our CEO and founder, Dusty Holcomb.
The Arcqus Leadership Success Model™ is grounded in intentional leadership. By setting clear expectations and creating measurable benchmarks, leaders foster an environment of accountability. This model isn’t about quick wins—it’s about building a culture where teams understand success and are equipped to achieve it consistently. Growth comes from reinforcing these behaviors through coaching and continuous feedback, ensuring long-term performance and development.
Leadership without clear expectations is like navigating without a compass. When everyone understands not just what needs to be done, but how success is measured, they can align their actions with the bigger picture. The clarity ensures everyone is rowing in the same direction. As leaders, it’s our responsibility to ensure there is no ambiguity in what success looks like—and that all involved are committed to the same vision.
Accountability is the backbone of sustained success. It’s easy to set goals, but it takes a committed leader to ensure those goals are met. In the Arcqus model, accountability isn’t about micromanagement—it’s about creating a culture where individuals take ownership of their outcomes. Leaders should encourage self-accountability but must also be prepared to follow through with structured accountability systems that guide their teams to success.
Coaching is more than correcting errors; it’s about cultivating potential. In the Arcqus Leadership Success Model™, coaching helps ensure that the expectations set are not only understood but met with the right skills and mindset. Continuous coaching allows leaders to provide feedback, reinforce positive behaviors, and develop their teams for greater success. It’s about equipping people with the resources and support they need to meet the standards of excellence.
Absolutely. Whether you’re leading a large organization or managing a small team, the principles of the Arcqus Leadership Success Model™ are scalable. Leadership is about people, and regardless of title or hierarchy, these four steps—clarity of expectations, measurement, coaching, and accountability—create a blueprint for success. The best part? These steps cultivate leaders at every level, empowering teams to take ownership of their performance and continually grow.
