Accountability Culture: 5 Things All Accountable Cultures Need (Infographic)

Accountability can be a scary word. For many, it sounds punitive - and that’s because most of us associate “accountability” with “consequences” when, in fact, accountability is about being responsible for and really owning our own performance and results. Accountability shouldn’t be a dirty word in your culture; if you have created the right environment, accountability should thrive without people cowering away in fear.

If you asked your team today, would they say they were individually accountable? Would they say they could hold their peers accountable? Would they say they could hold anyone in the organization (including the leaders) accountable? That’s the kind of breakthrough accountability you want to establish in your organization, but you can’t do it overnight.

How do you take away the stigma and build or increase accountability, brick by brick, in your team? It starts with building 5 simple habits - the five things accountability needs to thrive in your culture:

With practice and repetition, living out these 5 Cs of Accountability will build trust with your team and improve leadership accountability. If you approach new projects with this framework in mind and use these Cs to help you solve problems from a place of mutual purpose and respect, you will be weaving accountability into the fabric of your company culture.

The good news is that accountability is not the end result; it’s just a seed you plant in your team to bear the fruit of improved performance and results. Teams that are accountable and achieve high performance are also more engaged and happier at work. Growing accountability is a virtuous cycle that will benefit your business and your teams, helping everyone become more successful together. If you are interested in our leadership development program or accountability workshop, visit our website here.

Want more information on Team Accountability? Check out these additional resources:

• Take the Organizational Effectiveness Assessment to see how your organization is performing
• Why You Need a Peak Performance Plan for Your A-Players
• Team Accountability Begins with Personal Accountability
• Accountability Definition in Management
• How top CEOs Close the Strategy Execution Gap
• Follow Up: The Key To Leadership Development

Photo Credit: iStock by Getty Images