Learn how to create and sustain a culture of accountability in the team you lead with these seven easy tips and boost your team's efficiency.
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Every leader dreams of leading an effective and optimal team of individuals. One of the dimensions of team effectiveness is accountability. However, this is an area where many managers and business leaders seem to struggle. In this article, we will discuss seven ways that leaders can build and nurture a culture of accountability in the teams that they lead.
Advantages of leading an Accountable Team
Accountability is a key driver of efficiency. This is because an accountable team:
- Uncovers potential problems quickly by questioning each other's approach quickly
- Fosters mutual respect, as everyone on the team is held to the same high standards
- Requires less bureaucracy around performance management and corrective actions
- Puts pressure on poor performers
Laying the Foundation for your Team's Accountability
It is important to highlight here that one must first have the foundation for creating a culture of accountability first. This means that the team must
- enjoy great levels of trust,
- have the ability to handle productive conflict
- be highly committed to each other.
Without these in place, it is impossible for a leader to make his or her team members more accountable. Once these three drivers have been established, a leader can attempt to improve his or her team's accountability.
How to Boost your Team's Accountability
The following are seven easy ways to build and nurture a more accountable team:
1. Start by Walking the Talk
No matter how hard you try or which top consultant you engage, you will never make your team more accountable unless you become an accountable leader. Lead by example and your team members will follow.
2. Define responsibilities clearly
Ensure clarity in your communication. Every team member should know his/her roles and responsibilities well. Only then will they know what they have to take ownership of.
3. Set appropriate, well-defined metrics
Setting clear metrics will help to convey what outcome is expected from each team member. This will help them to understand your expectations and hold themselves responsible for ensuring that their performance / behaviour is up to the mark.
4. Schedule periodic reviews
If you wait till the last minute to check on your team's progress, you are setting yourself and your team up for failure. Ideally, you should schedule to meet them at appropriate intervals to keep them on track.
5. Acknowledge the effort
If a team member is acting responsibly and meeting your expectations, be generous and vocal with your praise. Reward him/her for the consistent effort.
6. Use negative reinforcement
Rewards work but so does punishment. Do not be afraid to call out your team members for failing to perform at the desired level. By not doing so, you are being unfair to the rest who are putting in the effort.
7. Encourage mentoring
You should not have to micromanage and an easy way of doing that is to encourage senior or experienced team members to take junior members under their wings. This will help you keep your interventions to a minimum.
