Accountable Leaders

CHAPTER 8How to Build an Accountable Team

As we explored in Chapter 5, teams are critical to the success of organizations. However, based on the research presented, most teams are seen as being mediocre. You therefore have a tremendous opportunity to set yourself apart by committing to build a team that demonstrates accountability and sets the tone for other teams in your organization. The good news is there are some proven steps you can take to drive success. Once again, we will use the four terms of the leadership contract to guide your efforts in building a truly accountable team (see Figure 8.1).

Figure 8.1 The Four Strategies to Build a Truly Accountable Team

Make Leadership Accountability a Priority with Your Team

A good starting point to make leadership accountability a priority with your team is to have a good sense of where the team stands. Conducting a team assessment will provide a baseline measure, confirm current strengths, and pinpoint gaps where the team must be stronger. Take a few minutes now to evaluate your team against the dimensions of team clarity and team commitment. Read each statement and check off whether you see it as strong or weak (see Figures 8.2 and Figure 8.3).

Figure 8.2 Assess the Team Clarity Dimension of Your Team

Figure 8.3