Foster a Culture of Accountability

As a leader, how well are you doing at setting your people up for success, and managing accountability?

Here's an impactful quote, “If more than one person is accountable, then no one is accountable, and that’s when things fall through the cracks.”- Author Unknown.?

Does each important task or line item on your P&L have one person 'in charge', or many??

Developing a culture where accountability is a core value is important to the long term success of any organization. Without it, things won't get done and everyone will point fingers, eroding relationships and team cohesiveness. This leads to dysfunction and chaos.?

Here are a few ways in which to improve accountability on your team.

1. Talk about it.?Make it a company value so that people understand the importance of being held accountable, and of holding others accountable.?Accountability starts at the top with the leaders setting the tone.

2. Define what success looks like.?What are the expectations? Let people know what It means to be 'win' at a task.

3. Set a standard of excellence.?Where is your 'success thermostat' set? If it's at 'mediocre', then people will just perform to that level and no more.

4. Give tools / resources / support to succeed.?A person can't succeed if they are not armed with the proper resources.

5. Be consistent, and fair. There should be a high level of consistency and fairness in how people are managed and held accountable.

6. Follow up.?Check in periodically to monitor progress and to offer support as needed.

Ultimately, a team that values personal and collective accountability is one that will function at the highest level, and get things done right and things done fast.

So, where are you in terms of driving accountability with your team? What are your gaps, and opportunities to improve?

Discover ways to improve accountability within your team.?Feel free to reach out to me to learn more about my Leadership Development and team building program and let's take your performance to the next level!

Troy Jacobson is an Executive Coach and Vistage CEO Chair based in Tucson, AZ. For more information about his services, visit his site at www.troyjacobson.com