Become the Consequence

This is a post about holding people accountable. Not just in a "why isn't this done?" way, but in a "we're going to meet on X to review Y". Then if people turn up without having Y done, you remind them that it wasn't optional. Then you set a new date, and they're expected to turn up with Y completed.

Then you keep meeting - with a large audience if things aren't going well, and with a small audience if it's a status check in. Once you have 3-4 instances of a small audience, you can decide if you need the meeting at all any more.

But until the issue is resolved, you are the consequence. Until it's resolved, people have to turn up every week and talk to you about it. Eventually they'll want to stop doing that and will get to work fixing the root cause.

(PS: This really works! I've worked for the boss that became the consequence, and everyone involved wanted to get to the point where the meeting was no longer needed as soon as possible)