Accountability is the willingness of an individual to account for their actions, accept responsibility for them, and transparently disclose the results. With the changing times, the era of working has also been changing, and new rules are being investigated. Now, effectively working teams are considered the most important. Still, many struggle to achieve high performance when it matters most.
Need for and Importance of Team Accountability
Accountable leaders build accountable teams. Meanwhile, weak, mediocre teams demonstrate behaviors that lead to toxic work environments, such as working in isolation or not demonstrating trust among other team members. These types of teams have a higher chance of a higher chance of turnover, leading to more serious mental and health issues. So, leaders must create a culture of accountability in their organization. When teams take full responsibility for their actions, they manage most issues themselves rather than looking to leadership to solve problems.
Accountable teams drive extraordinary performance. Leaders who invest in leveling up their team and promoting a culture of accountability can experience transformational benefits, such as everyone feeling safe, challenging one another, and confronting issues head-on without fear. All members work hard but manage to have fun and celebrate success. Research has shown that high-performing companies have more accountable teams than average or poorly performing ones.
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Whether it’s an executive team, a departmental team, a cross-functional team, or even a team of external partners, organizations have increasingly relied on teams to achieve success and guide them through uncertainty.
Source of Accountability
The source of accountability is a leader. Leaders can create an environment where genuinely accountable teams flourish, and employees are inspired to do their best. It checks and balances the organization’s or work’s productivity.
5Cs Model of Managing Accountability
Common purpose. Set the stage for any team initiative by discussing the ‘why.’ Why are they here? Why are they working on this project or this special task force?
Clear expectations. What is it that you ultimately need the team to do? These are the accountability questions leaders need to set clear expectations for the team.
Communicate & align. As time passes, as part of their leadership development, it’s a leader’s job to keep a team focused and aligned so everyone is involved and moving in the same direction. Communication and alignment give life to any team because they foster longer-term sustainability.
Collaborate and coach. Set the stage for collaboration throughout the process so that adjustments can be made in real time. Monitor progress and coach your people.
Consequences. Most people see consequences and immediately think of a negative connotation. We overlook that implications can also be positive. Make results and consequences visible. Talk to your team strategically rather than tactically, which is usually done through questions rather than statements.
Dimensions of Team Accountability
Team clarity. Accountable teams should have complete clarity about the business they operate in, be able to anticipate external trends both in and outside of their industry, and be clear about their organization’s strategy and purpose to understand their stakeholders’ expectations and know what needs to be done and how.
Team Commitment. Accountable teams also demonstrate a high degree of commitment needed to deliver results.
Conclusion
Without accountability, achieving goals is difficult and stressful for workers and organizations. Each team member should be accountable for their actions so that the team can achieve the results that the organization sets. In present times, employee accountability in the workplace has become very important for team performance, which ultimately leads to the success of that industry and organization.
