Discover how management committees can become true catalysts for co-responsibility (accountability in English) in their teams
Managerial issues. This article explores the signs that reveal a deficit in collective responsibility and shows how leadership that is both supportive and demanding can transform an entire organization and its results. You will find concrete advice, examples of tools, and methods for fostering shared responsibility and strengthening collective performance. This practical guide will help you create a culture where everyone takes responsibility and supports their peers, leading to sustainable results and a more agile organization.
One question arises How can management committees transform their management teams into truly accountable and co-responsible actors? And all this while remaining demanding yet supportive?, without falling into complacency or excessive control? What a challenge!
Organizations often encounter the same paradox: ambitious strategies defined by the management committee, but uneven implementation across management teams. Too often, decisions get lost in complexity, responsibilities become diluted and collective momentum falters, a bit like a ship whose captain knows the course, but where the crew rows without coordination.
This is where accountability comes in. This ability to take responsibility for one's commitments, to hold each other accountable, and also to support and challenge one's peers. For an executive committee, developing this culture within management teams is one of the most powerful levers for transforming an organization.
What is accountability and why is it important?
Definition
Accountability is an English word that doesn't really translate into French. The literal translation is "responsibility," but it goes further and isn't limited to "being responsible for one's task." In his book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Jossey-Bass, In 2002, Patrick Lencioni explained that it also means taking responsibility for the results of the team as a whole. It's a collective act. Each manager is responsible for their own results, but also for their impact on the performance of all the other teams. It can be compared to a GPS system: it allows each manager to know where they are going, to correct their trajectory and to stay aligned with the strategic destination.
Importance
For a management committee, This compass is essential: It transforms commitments into concrete and measurable actions and allows us to stay on course collectively.. Without shared responsibility, teams risk working in silos, with impaired trust in other teams, a lack of constructive confrontations regarding results, and therefore impaired performance.
For a management committee, accountability is doubly important:
- Internally, because the members of the executive committee must be able to challenge each other on strategic decisions.,
- Externally, because they embody a model for their teams: if they themselves do not hold themselves jointly responsible, how can they expect their managers to be?
In his article, "« Why Accountability Matters »In 2020, HBR indicated that a management team that cultivates accountability sends a strong signal: Collective performance takes precedence over individual interests.
Identifying a deficit in collective responsibility within teams
The obvious signs
Some signs are visible and clear. on which it is possible to act quickly:
- Decisions made in executive committee meetings do not always translate into clear action plans or regular follow-ups,
- The members of the management committee avoid confronting a peer who does not keep his promises,
- The discussions are focusing more on the justification that on the resolution,
- The culture of "us" is giving way to the culture of "every man for himself".
How many times have I seen members of a management team continue in meetings
typing on their PC keyboards when it wasn't their turn to speak, as if they didn't
did not feel concerned by the results, problems and needs of their peers.
Weak signals
A lack of responsibility is not always manifested directly.
Often, it becomes apparent through certain subtle signals that the management committee
can observe:
- Certain behaviors that undermine collective performance tend to be avoided or minimized, rather than addressed openly.,
- The responsibilities are unclear. ; Each person waits for "the other" to take the initiative.,
- Decisions made in the executive committee become diluted in execution due to a lack of follow-up.,
These signs do not necessarily indicate a lack of willpower; they often reflect
a need for clarification, support, or more robust collective practices. This is
This is precisely where the executive committee can play a catalytic role.
Encouraging shared responsibility
Compassionate but not complacent leadership
The executive committee has an interest in promoting a supportive environment. Note that this does not mean complacent. It is important to know how to remain firm on objectives and gentle on people.
Accountability presupposes psychological safety, according to Amy Edmondson (The Fearless Organization, Wiley, 2018Everyone must be able to expressing one's difficulties without fear of punishment. A management committee that acts in this way creates a ripple effect: managers feel supported, but know they cannot "adrift." It is also essential to set an example and to keep one's own commitments, take responsibility for one's mistakes, practice open feedback…
Create a clear framework and clarify responsibilities
If each strategic decision is broken down into measurable commitments (who does what, by when, with what indicators…), then responsibilities become clear road signs for each manager:
- Clarity of expectations : formulate SMART and unambiguous objectives,
- Create dashboards shared resources that make the results visible,
- Building collective rituals (reviews, progress updates, transparent debriefings…) and celebrate,
- Empower through the co-construction of rules rather than through imposition.
I was fortunate to work in a company that valued this type of approach. I was a project manager for over 16 years, and it's clear that without structure and oversight, the cross-functional relationships and results I achieved would have been far less easy and psychologically taxing.
Develop a culture of feedback and constructive confrontation
Giving and receiving feedback is a pillar of accountability. It allows us to:
- Clarify expectations and reduce grey areas Giving feedback helps to clarify what is expected, what works, and what needs to change.,
- Strengthen individual responsibility When a manager receives clear feedback, they better understand the impact of their actions and can fully take responsibility for their choices.
- Create a culture of transparency and trust Accountability requires a climate where we dare to talk about successes as well as difficulties.
- Promote learning and continuous progress It is a virtuous circle where everyone becomes responsible not only for their own results, but also for the progress of others.
Equipping managers
Developing shared responsibility is not always straightforward, which is why there are tools that managers can use. trained or coached. I have personally coached individual and group leaders who wanted to reduce the siloed functioning of their teams. Four years later, they are still using the tools I provided them (Z process, feedback methods, Co-development etc.).
Here are some methods to help you:
- OKR (Objectives & Key Results) They clarify priorities and assign responsibility for measurable results to provide visibility and clarity.,
- Follow-up rituals Regular reviews, collaborative reporting, closing each meeting with a clear list of decisions and responsibilities, visual tracking charts…,
- Structured feedback and constructive confrontation (SBI tool (Situation, Behavior, Impact)) For example) : train managers to support their teams while being demanding in terms of results.
- 360° feedback or cross-assessments : to objectify perceptions and foster inter-level accountability.
- Individual coaching or collective, co-development managerial, teambuilding, seminars...
A management team that develops accountability within its management teams does not simply delegate responsibility: He builds a leadership culture where high standards and kindness feed off each other. It is not individual talent that makes organizations win, but the ability of teams to engage and take responsibility together.
The real question for every management committee is therefore not "our managers"
Are they responsible? But rather: «"Have we created the conditions for a
"Accepted, shared, and sustainable responsibility?"»
So, what do you think? Does it help you? If it makes you want to be supported, and you'd like to know more, please write to us via our contact form for a free initial exchange.
