By-Whens & SPA: Two Practices for Building a Common Accountability Language
And How to Implement Them
As managers, of course we want high accountability on our teams. But when accountability is lacking, we tend to focus on the people: “We need to motivate them!” we think. “They just don’t have the right skills,” we tell ourselves.
Sometimes that’s true. But more often, a lack of accountability isn’t solely about people’s motives or competencies; it’s about the system.
Are roles clear? Are expectations aligned? Is decision-making authority defined? Is information flowing the way it needs to be?
In this article, we’ll introduce two surprisingly simple, powerful tools we’ve seen consistently drive accountability and results. The best part? They take less than 30 minutes to implement as a team-wide standard practice.
And we’ll show you how to do it.
Systems Thinking
Let’s revisit a manager’s best friend: systems thinking.
We love this dear friend because it helps us solve the real problem—not just the symptoms.
In our Managing with Mind & Heart leadership series, we train managers in a systems-thinking tool called the Waterline Model. (And we wrote about it here.)
Systems thinking and the Waterline Model remind us that it’s a lot easier to fix structures than to fix people. It’s far more effective (and sustainable) to make thoughtful changes to roles, policies, workflows, and expectations than to try to change someone’s personality or motivation.
It also reminds us that what looks like a “people issue” is often a clarity issue—unclear roles, fuzzy expectations, vague decision-making authority, or broken (or non-existent) processes.
When we fix those things—when we clarify the system—people tend to show up better.
Systems thinking is a manager’s superpower.
“Clarity is kindness. Unclear is unkind.”
— Brené Brown
Case Study #1: Get Off My Lawn!
Six employees—three from engineering, three from construction—have been assigned to improve an internal process that affects both divisions. Five months in, it’s not going well.
People are getting territorial (“This is my area, not yours”), there’s finger-pointing and blame, deadlines are missed, meetings are rarely happening, and when they do, discussions and decisions spin in circles. The project is stalled, and frustration is growing.
What the untrained manager sees: A group of unmotivated employees who don’t know how to work well with others. Time for a motivational speech and maybe some trust falls... 😬
What the systems-thinking manager asks: What gaps in the structure or process might be contributing to this?
The systems fix: Establish a single point of accountability (SPA). The real problem? No one was clearly responsible for keeping the project moving forward.
It might sound like a “well, duh” fix, but this gap is incredibly common, especially when a team hasn’t established the norm that every project or task needs a single point of accountability (SPA). This is especially important in cross-functional teams.
When no one is clearly accountable, everyone assumes someone else is handling it. That’s where SPA comes in.
What an SPA Does
An SPA doesn’t do all the work. They’re not necessarily the project lead or sole decision-maker. But they do own the process of making sure the work gets done.
Think of them as the project’s air traffic controller that keeps things coordinated and moving.
An SPA typically:
Tracks the status of the project or task
Schedules and facilitates key meetings
Follows up and troubleshoots roadblocks
Clarifies and communicates decisions
Shares updates and next steps
Is the go-to person if someone asks, “Where does this stand?”
SPAs Need Sponsorship
For an SPA to be effective, they need visible support from a leader. That means:
They’re clearly designated by someone with authority
Their role and responsibilities are explained to the group
They’re given the authority to coordinate, follow up, and ask for help
Without this, the SPA can come across as overstepping, which creates its own mess.
Pro Tip: If the SPA is experiencing resistance from those they are working with (“you’re not the boss of me!”), it’s time for them to circle back to the sponsor (i.e., the boss) so that the sponsor can re-clarify the roles and responsibilities of the SPA to the rest of the group.
Making It Stick: How to Set Up and Normalize SPA on Your Team
Want less finger-pointing and more accountability? Build this simple habit into how your team operates.
Set the expectation out loud: “From now on, every project or major task will have a single point of accountability—one person clearly responsible for keeping it on track.”
Clarify what SPA means:
Not doing all the work
Not necessarily making all the decisions
Yes to coordinating progress, setting up meetings, tracking status, requesting help when needed, and being the go-to for updates
Start asking regularly: “Who’s the SPA for this?”
Do a quick audit:
Do all your projects have a clearly designated SPA?
Does the team know who it is?
Have you, as the leader, backed them up publicly?
This one small shift creates clarity, builds trust, and dramatically improves execution—without adding complexity or more meetings. (Yay!)
“Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.”
— W. Edwards Deming
Case Study #2: Why Can't You Be More Responsible?
A department director asks their team member for a report to prep for a leadership meeting the following week.
“I need this report done,” they say.
“Got it,” they reply.
The week goes by. No report. The director is frustrated…again.
“I can’t count on them to follow through.”
This happens all the time. A missed expectation turns into a reliability issue. And here’s the thing: when it happens repeatedly, it stops feeling like a scheduling issue and starts feeling like a trust issue. The kind that quietly erodes team culture.
What the untrained manager sees: An unreliable employee. Time to double down on accountability…again.
What the systems-thinking manager asks: What simple shift in our process could prevent this from happening in the first place?
The systems fix: Use “By-Whens” for every task and commitment. We all want to be seen as reliable and count on others to be reliable. But reliability doesn’t come from good intentions; it comes from clarity.
That’s where by-whens come in.
What Is A By-When?
A by-when is exactly what it sounds like: a clear deadline attached to a task or request. It’s communicating by when you need something, or asking by when someone needs something. It’s not a new idea, but it’s one of the simplest, most powerful tools for improving follow-through, prioritization, and trust.
Some of our clients have seen such strong results from this practice that they’ve embedded it into their culture—posting signs around the office, adding reminders to their email signatures, even wearing pins that say, “Ask me for a by-when.” Cute, right?
Here’s the idea in plain terms:
If something needs to get done, there should be a clear by when. And if there isn’t, someone should ask for one.
With Consistent By-Whens:
People know how to prioritize
Expectations are visible and shared
Trust grows through consistent follow-through
6 Principles for Making By-Whens Work
1. Establish a by-when for every task or request
Give one clearly: “Can you get this done by Friday at 3pm?”
If you don’t get one, ask: “When do you need this by?”
Negotiate if needed—this is a two-way conversation
(Pro tip: Managers, try starting with “What works for you?” and then collaborate to land on a realistic deadline. This builds autonomy and partnership.)“ASAP” is not a by-when. “Whenever” is not a by-when. Be specific.
The conversation itself helps prioritize: “If this takes priority, can we shift that other deadline out a week?”
2. Meet your by-whens
Be honest and realistic about what you can commit to.
Don’t say “probably” or “should be fine”—that puts everyone in hope mode.
3. If you’re going to miss it, renegotiate ahead of time
Life happens. But trust is built when you communicate before the deadline—not after.
Side note: Harvard research found that managers responded positively when employees asked for more time on tasks. But employees often feared looking unmotivated or incompetent…so they didn’t ask. Punchline: Make sure your team knows it’s OK to negotiate or ask for an extension—just get ahead of it.
4. Follow up on by-whens you’ve given
Track what you’ve asked for and check in on missed due dates.
If someone misses a by-when and you say nothing, everyone learns it’s optional.
(What you allow, you teach.)
5. Be honest about the by-when—and the why
Avoid arbitrary deadlines. People notice.
If the timing matters, explain it: “I need this by EOD Thursday so I can prep for Monday’s meeting.”
If there are checkpoints, clarify what’s due and when: “Part A by Friday, Part B by Tuesday.”
6. Use by-whens in all directions
Manager → Employee
Employee → Manager
Peer ↔ Peer
Clients, vendors, and partners
Making It Stick: How to Normalize By-Whens on Your Team
If you want more reliability and follow-through, make by-whens a shared team habit.
Set the expectation out loud: “Let’s get in the habit of using by-whens for all tasks and commitments. It helps us prioritize and follow through.”
Reinforce with simple prompts:
“What’s the by-when on this?”
“Can you give me a by-when?”
“Is this deadline realistic for you?”
Track them: Write down the by-whens you give and receive. Make them visible in meeting notes, project boards, or emails.
Address misses early: If someone misses a by-when, talk about it. Don’t let it slide—this is how you protect the system.
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This one tiny tool can change the tone of your team; less stress, fewer dropped balls, and more mutual trust. And, like SPA, it doesn’t take a new platform or a big rollout. Just a shared norm, practiced consistently.
The Bottom Line
Accountability isn’t just about pushing people harder. It’s about creating conditions where people can be reliable and follow through. When roles are clear, when someone is steering the work, when deadlines are named and respected, people show up more accountable.
A true culture of accountability builds on a foundation of clarity and structure.
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Additional Resources:
The MwMH Podcast: #14 – The Nuts & Bolts of Reliability
The MwMH Podcast: #120 – Single Point Accountability
We always like to hear from our readers. Feel free to email us at contact@nashconsulting.com if you have any questions or topics you'd like us to cover.