4 Steps for Building Accountability in Teams

A common idiosyncrasy found in members of all high performing teams is their level of accountability to each other and to themselves. The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes accountability as “an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s action.”

We are experiencing organisational change and transformation at an accelerated rate which is evident in the way we conduct business. There is a shift from the archaic hierarchical culture and a move towards cohesive team environment. Where there was once an autocratic partition that divided managers from employees it is being replaced with an emerging egalitarian approach. This has formed an opening for employees to be integral participants in essential decision making processes and have significant influencing skills. These being some of the most vital ingredients of a high performing team. One pivotal characteristic that advocates this democratic attitude is accountability and it is this attribute that determines the level of performance. Without accountability there is no integrity and the road to lasting change is long and bumpy.

Characteristics of Accountability

In my experience and assessment of high performing teams I have discovered that accountability is far greater than its traditional definition of willingness to accept responsibility of one’s actions. Many people will take some level of reluctant responsibility when push comes to shove, though this cannot be construed as accountability. I describe this characteristic as a set of behaviours that exemplify:

• Transparency
• Confidence
• Self-Efficacy
• Flexibility
• Collaboration
• The ability to trust oneself and build trust with others
• The desire to learn from mistakes
• The ability to manage difficult situations

Team responsibility starts with leadership accountability

Establishing a culture of accountability within a team starts with its leader exhibiting personal culpability and inspiring this in their employees. Buck Rodgers, the author of The IBM way and a key figure in shaping IBM into what is today stated “You can’t talk about leadership without talking about responsibility and accountability… you cannot spate the two. A leader must delegate responsibility and provide the freedom to make decisions, and then be held accountable for the results.”

4 Steps in building an accountable team

1. Lead by example– Walk the talk and be the type of person that inspire others to follow in your behavioural footsteps. Be transparent and take responsibility for your actions, have humility in triumphant achievements and acknowledge your failures. Display vulnerability and seek insight from your mistakes. Be flexible and solution focused in your approach to managing challenges and difficult situations.

2. Set the scene– Get clear about goals and communicate expectations effectively, employees will commit to a goal when they understand two important things. Firstly; how will they benefit personally from achieving a certain goal and secondly having an understanding of how it ties in with the bigger picture. Also clarity beats uncertainty, people struggle with accountability when there is ambiguity and it perpetuates the blame game.

3. Consistency -This may sound counter-intuitive in the face of creativity, however in this case I refer to consistency as the steadiness and discipline that a leader brings to a team. Being consistent in your message, your actions and your behaviours builds trust and create an environment where employees know where they stand.

4. Positive feedback and support – Administer positive feedback during times of challenge and acknowledge a job well done in times of success. Coach and mentor your employees through support and guidance and provide education and training in positive peer feedback and peer accountability.

Building accountability in your team is a complex process and it does not happen overnight, however incorporating the above 4 steps will certainly start your journey on the path to managing a high performing team.