By Rand O’Leary

Creating a solid leadership team is not only key for organizational excellence; it’s priceless in a crisis. We are in the midst of extreme, unprecedented times, especially in healthcare, and leaders and managers alike are relying on their teams to help them keep staff focused and engaged, and to make sure their operations are moving forward. To have a team that’s up to the challenges our current circumstances present, however, takes more than just luck, it takes hard work, strategy, and accountability – to each other and to the organizational mission.

As the status quo has gone out the window – at least temporarily – accountability is crucial at every level. However, as Patrick Lencioni writes in The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, a lack of commitment and buy-in can lead team members to develop an avoidance of accountability.  “Without committing to a clear plan of action, even the most focused and driven people often hesitate to call their peers on actions and behaviors that seem counterproductive to the good of the team.”

Accountability means responsible behavior, and each individual taking ownership of their actions and performance. Ultimately, accountability needs to be fully required at every level.

"There’s a crisis of accountability in organizations today, a crisis of epidemic proportions," said Roger Connors, co-founder and former CEO of Partners In Leadership. "When properly approached, accountability can really be the low-hanging fruit for optimizing organizational performance and accelerating organizational change efforts." 

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