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Increase Accountability to Improve Team Performance

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Increase Accountability to Improve Team Performance

Firstly you need to understand what accountability is to see how you can improve employee accountability?

As a business owner, how do you know that everyone in your team is getting the tasks done they should? How do you know everything is on track and progressing how you want it to? Is everyone pulling their weight in projects and doing everything they should to a high standard within a timely manner? Accountability could be your answer.

Accountability within a business and the workplace, we’re referring to members of the team taking ownership and responsibility for their actions and completing tasks they’ve been assigned to. Following standard operating procedures and business processes and being accountable for their work.

Accountability is not solely about who is to blame when something goes wrong but seeing that everyone is delivering on their commitment to the team. Identifying where things are going wrong, adapting and supporting team members to improve performance and boost morale.

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Managing Accountability

Team members need clarity on what is expected of them while allowing their input of ideas and strategies. Setting out clear parameters of what outcome is required, what is the measurement for success, how the objective can be achieved within the time frame.

Allocate the most capable team member or you’re setting them up for failure. Identify the skills required, if those skills are not available how can these be acquired? Can parts of the project be delegated?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Keeping projects on track and not being surprised by failure but encouraging open talking when problems arise. This has to be a clear message because you are a team and failure isn’t good for business or morale. Brainstorming solutions can also be empowering and great for team building in supporting each other.

Feedback works both ways. People should know where they stand but also be encouraged to share opinions and feedback on how the project is progressing. Asking how you can help them achieve the best end result? How you can help realign from any deviation? This feedback process is not about dictating a solution but encourages more accountability towards what is their responsibilities.

Negative feedback the key is to making it constructive criticism. Don’t just criticise provide a reasonable plan and solution to helping fix the situation. Shouting and anger always reduce motivation and performance so not a productive process

Accountability Increases Performance

The delegation of tasks and roles to other team members give them a feeling of empowerment and motivates them to perform well. That feeling of a sense of ownership for the task they are responsible for makes them keen to deliver the best results as they know that only they are accountable to its success.

Goal Setting Criteria S.M.A.R.T: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely. Setting challenging but attainable goals.

Introduce ways to Improve Time Management to increase performance

Team Accountability

“How can you make team members more accountable for results?”

The bottom line is every member of the team is accountable for outcomes, their actions affect everyone else, no matter how much each member contributes to the process.

Accountability is not just about individuals but about the whole team. Acknowledging that your individual actions affect the whole team. Each member of that team contributes something to the ability to accomplish their goals and complete a job on time. Accountability is a key ingredient for individuals and teams for workplace accountability.

Processes Create Accountability

Communication is a key part of business, being able to convey what your expectations are for your team members.

A quick or occasional chat doesn’t help define a specific task and can be misunderstood. Implementing processes and workflows is an easy and fast way to make sure it is totally understood and no steps are missed. Enabling everyone to understand what they should be doing and a time scale for completion.

Clearing laying out each step and their roles your team will understand what they are accountable for in the clearest possible way.

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