WHAT IS ACCOUNTABILITY?
Our coaching team spends a lot of time with leaders and teams on the concepts of We/They and Ownership. The concepts are often taught together, even though it’s impossible for them to actually exist together. If individuals practice We/They, they are not owning the work, the goals, or the outcomes.
The same is true for accountability. It is impossible for an individual or team to be truly accountable, while simultaneously shirking responsibility, liability, and answerability for a goal or outcome.
Accountable people act in the interest of the larger aims and needs of the organization. There is no need to We/They, pass responsibility, or cover your tail because there is a significant understanding and heightened internal motivation to achieve the goals. Accountable people will do what it takes to help the organization achieve success.
WHY IS ACCOUNTABILITY SO HARD?
Accountability requires us to drop the ego. Accountable people think about the bigger picture outside of themselves. These individuals engage other team members in problem-solving to achieve the outcome, without needing to get the credit. Accountable people regularly request and provide feedback, not just during formal performance reviews or on the heels of a misstep. They look at feedback as a way to ensure continued growth of themselves, others, and the organization.
Our greatest human instinct is survival. When setbacks occur, our most natural inclination is to look for someone or something to blame. It’s easier to think about and position barriers as out of the team’s (or individual’s) control, than it is to treat them as problems to solve. This survival instinct is also why We/They and other blame-passing behaviors become rampant in some organizations. After all, organizations are full of a bunch of humans seeking survival.
MODEL ACCOUNTABILITY
The only way to reduce the survival instinct, and its related habits on our team, is to create a safe environment for individuals to practice accountability. This starts with leaders modeling accountability. Team members are watching how we think about and react to barriers, the way we communicate progress, the way we interact with others, and the way we accept responsibility.
BEING ACCOUNTABLE IN 3 STEPS