How often have you been in a contentious meeting and thought it was getting too heated to ever get to an agreement? While your first instinct might be finding a place to hide, there’s actually an incredibly effective way to get to an agreement before tensions run high, and it doesn’t involve bullying or high-pressure tactics. It’s called Collaborative Accountability.
What is Collaborative Accountability?
Collaborative Accountability is a shared responsibility within a group or team where everyone is held accountable for achieving common goals. It requires actively supporting each other and openly communicating to ensure everyone is contributing effectively to the collective outcome, rather than solely relying on individual accountability.
Essentially, it means working together to hold each other accountable for achieving shared objectives.
The Benefits of Collaborative Accountability
Now go back to that contentious meeting and, instead of using power differentials and negotiating to a win-lose outcome, imagine two leaders calmly dissecting the situation, building on each other’s ideas to overcome obstacles, and then taking equal share of actions where they are interdependent and the team is in full sync with the way forward, including a plan for how to flag derailers in real time.
Teams don’t just benefit from getting in sync in the moment. Collaborative Accountability helps to:
• Improve team performance: By working together and holding each other accountable, teams can achieve better results overall.
• Increase engagement: When individuals feel like they are part of a team with shared responsibility, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
• Enhance trust: Open communication and mutual support foster trust among team members.
What It Takes to Make Collaborative Accountability Work
Through collaborative accountability everyone is involved in making the best decision given the circumstances of the issue. Individual team members must commit to Active Listening, Empathy, and Teamwork. Meanwhile, the team should be set up for:
• Shared responsibility: All team members are responsible for the success of the project or task, not just the assigned individual.
• Open communication: Team members openly discuss progress, challenges, and concerns to identify potential issues early and provide support.
• Peer feedback: Providing constructive feedback to one another to help improve performance and accountability.
• Mutual support: Actively helping each other to overcome obstacles.
Collaborative Accountability in Action
Creating a culture of Collaborative Accountability isn’t complicated but requires consistency across a number of touchpoints at the individual and team levels. Start setting the tone by putting the key aspects of Collaborative Accountability into action each day. That might include:
• Lead by example: Demonstrate the behaviors and values you want your team to exhibit.
• Set clear expectations: Define goals, tasks, and roles clearly so that everyone understands what’s expected.
• Communicate regularly: Use open and clear channels to share information, resolve issues, and keep everyone informed.
• Provide feedback: Give regular feedback and performance reviews, including positive reinforcement and constructive criticism.
• Celebrate successes: Recognize and praise team members for their accomplishments.
• Establish clear goals: Agree on a common purpose and objectives for the team.
• Assign roles and responsibilities: Define who is accountable for what so that tasks are completed efficiently.
• Encourage participation and creativity: Create an environment that encourages team members to share ideas and take risks.
• Monitor and adjust: Continuously review and adjust processes as needed. Setting an expectation for teamwork isn’t enough. Creating an environment where success and lessons learned are shared experiences builds trust teams need to be motivated to support each other along the way.
Vanessa Tennyson, with 35 years of C-suite experience in professional services, strategic and tactical operations, talent management, financial analysis, and administration, is an Executive Coach at TPA.
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