Thoughts on Accountability

One of the least beloved days in America – Tax Day – is only a week away. It’s not a pleasant deadline, but it is a piece of our joint accountability as Americans. That got me thinking in more general terms about accountability within our work teams. At EPI, we often recommend that teams create working agreements to work more effectively and establish a foundation of trust.  

Working agreements involve creating great clarity with your team regarding each of the following:

1. Purpose and Expectations: What result is needed? What are the expectations?
2. Ground Rules and Accountability: What are the consequences for non-performance?
3. Current State: What is true now or previously?
4. Goal: What does success look like and why is it important?
5. Roles and Commitments to One Another: Who needs to be involved and what are the responsibilities?
6. Process and Decision-making: What will it take to accomplish the goal?
7. Interpersonal: How do we work together successfully?

Get your whole team involved, mutually agree on the guidelines, and you can build a foundation of trust that helps mitigate many potential issues and brings greater accountability to the table – without that unpleasant Tax Day feeling.