A Culture Of Accountability

A few days ago, I chanced upon a blog entry which mentioned the danger of “sweeping things under the carpet” – when this happens, it’s a surefire sign that accountability is non-existent. Accountability is a willingness or obligation to accept responsibility for or account for one's actions. One may question how efforts to build the team's strengths can be fostered by a becoming an individual who feels a growing acceptance that he or she is responsible for the results of the team. If the team is a success, the individual is a success. If the team flops, the individual also is accountable. Yet, even though the statement may seem counter-intuitive, it is nevertheless true. A strong team member builds increasing reliance upon the work of others. This is not a contradiction in terms. Here are some of the ways in which team building exercises develop a sense of accountability.

Each member must do their part

In a team effort, no member is unimportant and each member has skills supported by other members. So, if even one part of the team effort is missing, it is glaringly apparent.

Final results are recognized

Team development games and exercises always result in a completion of the task or game. Often, depending upon the activity, it is not completed until a final result is attained. The end result is something measurable, achievable and specific.

Team members learn to know other members' strengths and weaknesses

Learn about the abilities of other members in such a way as to best use the strong points and to minimize the weaker points, perhaps by pairing or combining members of the team. When the common goals override individual weaknesses, team members can work for the common good. So each member is not only accountable for their own actions, but they are responsible for those of the rest of the team.

Results are reproducible

In order to be repeat successful exercises, the team members must be able to see that the same actions repeated will lead to the same results. Accountability is the process of taking responsibility that the actions are the same each time. If the team development exercise does not yield the same result each time, then accountability exercises help to determine where the difference in procedure happened. It is assumed that defining where the procedures changed will result in a rethinking of areas where improvements can still be made.