Video: Create a Culture of 100% Accountability, with Brent Gleeson, business consultant, former Navy SEAL, and author of Taking Point

Real accountability isn’t about blame. It’s not about the threat of losing your job if you don’t hit certain targets. Real accountability begins when the individual takes full responsibility for the success or failure of any project she’s involved in. Organizations in which accountability—as opposed to finger-pointing—is at the core of the culture are strong, resilient, and team-oriented. Like the Navy SEALs, they’re based on trust, consistency, and respect. So the best thing any leader can do for an organization is to exemplify these qualities and instill a culture of accountability.

Peer reviews

• Today’s organizations operate in volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous (VUCA) environments. A culture of 100% accountability is needed to support the health and vitality of every team. A peer review process can help instill a sense of accountability for self and to others.
  
  
• Go beyond traditional performance metrics. How might you weave ethics, culture, values, and trustworthiness into peer reviews?
  
  

Leaders first

• Make instilling a culture of 100% accountability a leadership priority.
  
  
• As a leader, strive for consistency in your words and actions.
  
  
• Be an accountability model for others by publicly owning your mistakes.
  
  
• Always follow up mistakes with a correction plan.