All quotes are from The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni

Trust, Creative Conflict and Commitment pave a clear path to accountability. A TC team that consistently gets results is one that is able to hold one another accountable for behaviors and performance that are counterproductive to the team.

The Director is not the only person who can hold people accountable. A healthy team holds one another accountable. Peer-to-peer accountability has to become part of the culture.

“When team members know that their colleagues are truly committed to something, they can confront one another about issues without fearing defensiveness or backlash. After all, they’re merely helping someone get back on track or seeking clarity about something that doesn’t seem right. And the person being questioned about her behavior or performance will be willing to admit that she has inadvertently lost her way – after all, she’s vulnerable – and adjust her behavior accordingly.”

When we fail to hold people accountable by providing constructive feedback for performance we are hurting them and the team and the individual team members. Here are two ways to hold each other accountable in meetings. First is reports – know what each is doing – update on the priorities they are working on. Distractions and lack of progress can be confronted with a plan of action. Second, keep focused on the results. We will discuss results in the next newsletter.

Individual interests and distractions can have the tendency to stray. “People will stray without realizing it, getting distracted or caught up in the pushes and pulls of daily work. Ensure that everyone is working for the best interest of the team and not their own individual best interest.”
Again the leader goes first.

“It is far more natural and common for leaders to avoid holding people accountable. It is one of the biggest obstacles I find preventing teams and the companies they lead, from reaching their full potential. The only way for a team to develop a true culture of peer-to-peer accountability is for the leader to demonstrate that she is willing to confront difficult situations and hold people accountable herself. If the leader constantly balks when it’s time to call someone on their behavior or performance – then the rest of the team is not going to do their part.”

Leader’s Role: If the leader isn’t able or is unwilling to hold staff accountable – no one else will.

Think about it

• What are some unhealthy behaviors that distract from a healthy team that you’ve seen unconfronted?
• If the team knows the leader will not do anything – what happens to the team?
• Click here for a great exercise by Patrick Lencioni to get the walls coming down amongst team members.