Accountability requires trust

“Accountability” - it seems to be the buzzword of the day.  But how many of us understand the foundations required to fully embrace accountability?  Accountability cannot simply be bestowed.  It requires trust among all parties.  

“Accountability” - it seems to be the buzzword of the day.  But how many of us understand the foundations required to fully embrace accountability?  Accountability cannot simply be bestowed.  It requires trust among all parties.  

As a manager or leader, you must trust that your staff will:
Show up with the intent to do great work
Keep you informed
Ask for advice when there are problems and obstacles
Do a good job, even if they don’t do it “your way”

As a staff member, you must trust that your manager will:
Clearly articulate the goals and the measures of success
Advocate on your behalf to remove barriers
Share the credit
Support and advise you 
Provide course corrections when necessary
Not “throw you under the bus” should things go awry

Without this foundation of trust between all parties there cannot be true accountability.  

For more on accountability, consider bringing Roo's "Holding Employees Accountable" workshop to your workplace.

You may also want to consider reading Patrick Lencioni’s “The Five Dysfunctions of a team”   http://www.tablegroup.com/books/dysfunctions/

Trusting you will have a peaceful holiday and a new year of accountability and results.