I once observed a team that consistently met its targets – yet when things went wrong, blame spread faster than solutions. Work got done, but accountability was missing.
Research shows that sustainable accountability isn’t top-down – it’s peer-to-peer. Teams that hold one another accountable, not just their leader, build stronger trust and longer-term performance (Connor & Clawson, 2004).
Deliberate teams know that accountability isn’t about blame – it’s about shared ownership of both results and behaviours. As Lencioni reminds us, cultures with clear responsibility outperform those where it’s fuzzy or avoided.
For Leaders
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Model accountability – own your part first.
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Balance achievement and learning.
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Recognise and reinforce accountability behaviours.
For Teams
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Check commitments regularly.
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Share ownership of outcomes.
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Reflect together – on what worked and what didn’t.
Accountability builds trust, resilience, and performance – not fragility.
Curious about how trust and accountability reinforce each other?
Join our FREE Deliberate Leader Masterclass: “Trust Me – Why You Need to Be Deliberate About Trust in Your Team.”
📆 27 October | 🕛 12–1 PM AEDT | 📍 Zoom
🔗 Register now to join from anywhere!
