Accountability for Collaborative Success

Accountability must be a visible practice In creating an organization that is built for collaborative success. All team members are clear about their specific responsibilities. They are aware of the organization’s purpose, mission, vision, values, and how they fit into this framework. They are given measures and tools to use in this framework. They are given measures and tools to use in determining if they are moving forward or falling behind on their objectives. They are empowered to do their job, and they are rewarded for their efforts. The result is a high level of employee engagement with a vested interest in the success of the organization.

Accountability is indispensable in collaboration because the work is interrelated. For example, if one team member makes an error or falls behind schedule, she must report it to the rest of the team to stem the consequences; failure to disclose a problem in one part could potentially damage the entire work. In addition, taking responsibility for errors is easier in a collaborative setting, where the focus is on correction rather than on blame. Thus, fear of retribution is minimal (if it even exists) allowing a more honest exchange among team members. In this environment of emotional safety the upper brain performs at a higher level to drive performance because the negative energy of the fear factor is non-existent.

In a traditional culture with command and control leadership, however, the opposite is true. Although management demands and praises the value of accountability, it does not provide the resources and environment that enable accountability to flourish. This absence results in widespread confusion, distrust, and underachievement. Fear is the operative emotion driving lower brain behaviour for self-preservation and an impediment to performance thinking. Influential leaders are aware of these pitfalls and thus behave, and urge others to behave, in a manner that promotes safety, trust, accountability, and commitment to outcomes, all of which can only exist within positive emotional human energy. And all of which behaviours are present when using your skill of Positive Presence.

One way leaders can role-model accountability is transparency – to admit their own mistakes and vulnerabilities in the face of various responsibilities. For example, the leader can share a story in which he “dropped the ball” on an important project. He can explain the steps he took to recover from this event. The story can then be turned into a teaching moment that may inspire others to change their approach to avoid the negative outcome experienced by the storyteller. The point of this exercise, which is called power of story, is to show that a lack of accountability has the power to weaken even a strong performer and thus needs to be managed with vigilance.