How often has this thought crossed your mind: “I just can’t get the whole accountability culture thing going with my team”. Well, you're not alone. It's not easy, but may I suggest that you start by redefining the term "accountability" for your team.
All too often we think of accountability as something that comes up when things fail and when the boss wants to find the person who can be blamed for causing the problem. Your team members have been hearing the word "accountability" in this context throughout their entire worklives. To properly develop your team's culture of accountability, you first need to change that old-school definition of accountability. It's not about who to blame when things go wrong, it's about taking ownership for ensuring things go right. Once your team members understand this, you and the team will be on track to change the department's culture from a task-orientated group, to an effective, results-oriented team.
