How To > Ensure task completion
Improve accountability
Tallyfy provides features to make accountability clear and lasting.
Making task status visible increases accountability:
- Public task status: Tallyfy’s dashboard shows who is responsible for active tasks and their current status.
- Progress tracking: Visuals highlight where processes are stuck and who is responsible.
- Timeline views: History shows when tasks were assigned, started, and completed.
- Activity tracking: The system automatically logs actions taken on tasks.
Transparency encourages timely completion without direct intervention.
Automated reminders ensure consistent follow-up:
- Daily digest emails: The system sends personalized notifications about pending tasks.
- Customizable frequency: Users can set their preferred reminder schedule.
- Set-and-forget: Once set up, reminders work automatically for all tasks.
- Prioritization: Reminders highlight overdue tasks and upcoming deadlines.
Automation eliminates manual follow-up and builds accountability into daily work.
For time-sensitive tasks, you can give extra nudges:
- Instant email reminders: Send immediate notifications to all assignees with one click.
- Custom reminder messages: Add personal notes to stress urgency or add context.
- Scheduled follow-ups: Set calendar reminders to check task progress.
- Sequential escalation: Follow a consistent pattern (e.g., reminder -> direct message -> manager involvement).
Reserve manual nudges for urgent situations.
The Take Over feature clarifies responsibility when multiple people are assigned:
- Take Over feature: Tallyfy lets a team member take full ownership of a task.
- Clear assignment: When someone takes over, others are removed, making responsibility clear.
- Voluntary commitment: Choosing to take over encourages personal ownership.
- Documented handoffs: The system logs who took responsibility and when.
This converts group tasks into individual responsibility.
Use comments for accountability discussions:
- Contextual questions: Ask about task status directly in the task’s comments.
- @mentions: Tag specific people to ensure they see your comment.
- Default comments: Use standard comment templates for consistent check-ins.
- Comment history: Keep a documented record of accountability talks.
- Email notifications: Comments automatically trigger email alerts.
Comments stay focused on specific tasks rather than general performance.
When tasks are blocked:
- Blocking comments: Team members can mark comments as blockers, showing what’s stopping progress.
- Visibility of blockers: These comments are clearly displayed, showing why a task is delayed.
- Shared problem-solving: Transparency helps teams solve problems together.
- Accountability transfer: Responsibility can shift to fixing the blocker when needed.
This distinguishes between avoidance and genuine blockers.
Clear instructions improve task completion:
- Specific instructions: Include step-by-step guidance.
- Defined success criteria: Explain what ‘done’ looks like.
- Resource links: Provide links to needed info, tools, or templates.
- Supporting documentation: Attach examples or training materials.
Configure tasks to auto-complete after deadlines:
- Expiring task types: Set up certain tasks to auto-complete after their deadline.
- Time-based auto-completion: Create rules for tasks to close automatically after a set time.
- Clear expectations: Tell your team about these policies so they know the consequences of inaction.
- Task prioritization: Helps separate critical tasks from nice-to-haves.
This prevents task backlog and creates urgency.
Structure escalation for accountability issues:
- Sequential escalation: Follow a consistent pattern (e.g., reminder -> comment -> manager added).
- Manager involvement: Add supervisors as assignees if first steps aren’t enough.
- Pattern recognition: Track recurring issues to find and fix root causes.
- Performance connections: Connect consistent task completion (or lack thereof) to performance reviews.
Balance accountability with support:
- Recognition systems: Acknowledge people who consistently complete tasks.
- Constructive approach: Focus conversations on solving problems, not blaming.
- Skill development: Offer training for those struggling with tasks.
- Reciprocal accountability: Make managers responsible for providing support and removing obstacles.
- Start with why: Explain the task’s purpose and impact.
- Manage workloads: Ensure task loads are reasonable.
- Time blocking: Encourage scheduling specific time for tasks.
- Peer accountability partnerships: Set up ways for teammates to check in.
- Breaking down tasks: Divide big responsibilities into smaller tasks.
- Success celebration: Recognize consistent completion to encourage the behavior.
Tasks > Escalating overdue tasks
How To > Complex approval workflows
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