- The Curiosity Collective
- Posts
- Curiosity Collective #015
Curiosity Collective #015
How to promote accountability and ownership among team members?
John Brewer
June 09, 2023
Welcome to the new readers who've joined this week.
If you're not subscribed, click here or the subscribe button below and join others getting actionable tips on curiosity-driven leadership.
1 Thing I Am Curious About
How to promote accountability and ownership among team members?
2 Quotes That I Am Thinking About
"Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to results." - Peter Drucker
"It is not only what we do, but also what we do not do, for which we are accountable." - Molière
The Great Accountability Challenge: A Tale of Teams, Trust, and Triumph
Have you ever been part of a group project where you ended up doing all the work?
Remember the frustration, the sense of injustice, the sleepless nights trying to meet a deadline all alone? Now imagine this scenario not in a school setting, but in your professional life, day after day. Terrifying, isn't it?
Let's face it: lack of accountability and ownership among team members is a monster hiding under the bed of almost every workplace, scaring away productivity and actively diminishing collective success.
The Many Faces of Accountability
Accountability isn't a one-size-fits-all suit. Instead, it's more like a kaleidoscope, reflecting different colors and patterns depending on who's looking. For some, it's about setting clear expectations. For others, it's about nurturing a sense of responsibility. And still, for others, it's about learning to trust and be trusted. But despite these varying perspectives, there's one thing everyone agrees on: accountability is crucial for a team's success.
The Accountability Scoreboard
According to a study by the American Management Association, organizations with a strong culture of accountability are 65% more likely to outperform their competition. This isn't just good for the bottom line – it's great for employee morale too. In fact, Gallup found that engaged employees – those who feel a sense of ownership and accountability – are 21% more productive and 22% more profitable.
The Future of Accountability: A Prediction
So, where are we heading with all this talk about accountability? I'd say towards a future where accountability isn't just a buzzword, but a way of life; where teams don't just work together, but succeed together; and where every individual doesn't just do their job but takes ownership of it.
Accountability isn't about placing blame, it's about solving problems. It's about turning 'your task' and 'my task' into 'our mission'. It's about turning the monster under the bed into a trusty ally that propels us toward collective success.
The Accountability Playbook: Four Tips for Success
So, how can we transform our workplaces into accountability havens? Here are four tips that might just do the trick:
1. Clarity is Key: Imagine being handed a map without any landmarks or directions. That's how team members feel when goals and expectations aren't clear. So, be explicit. Spell it out.
2. Foster a Culture of Trust: Trust is to accountability what oxygen is to life. It's essential. When team members feel trusted, they naturally take on more responsibility and hold themselves accountable.
3. Promote Open Communication: Ever played the ‘Telephone’ game? The message at the end is always hilariously distorted, isn't it? That's what happens when communication isn't open and transparent.
4. Recognize and Reward: Recognize and reward accountability. Make it something to aspire to, rather than dread.
Holding people accountable can feel like you are being punitive but by not holding people accountable you will cause active disengagement from your currently engaged employees.
I am offering a special for subscribers of this newsletter. I have created a guide on gaining clarity and a guide on goal setting and am offering a 1-hour coaching call to work through the material and to help you gain clarity or create goals that will help you get to where you want to go.
If you are interested in coaching for clarity please follow the link: https://authenticallylead.gumroad.com/l/Clarity
If you are interested in coaching for goal setting please follow the link: https://authenticallylead.gumroad.com/l/goals
Work with John:
Coaching: I will work with you 1:1 to help you grow and transform by creating systems, identifying priorities, and executing your goals. If you're interested, please reply to this email with "coaching" or you can book a FREE discovery call here: https://calendly.com/authenticallylead/discovery-coaching-call
Writing: I will write for you about leadership, mental health, and employee well-being. If you are interested, please reply to this email with "writing."