In a utopian working group, all members operate as a team with a high level of accountability, enthusiasm and collaboration.

Their refrain is “we are in this together”. Each team member knows how to do their job, when to ask for help, how to take initiative, and how to help one another succeed.

At the other end of the spectrum, the working group is toxic with a low level of accountability that results in low productivity, poor morale, incessant conflict and a pervasive “clock-punching” attitude.

Accountability is a fundamental part of any effective team. Consider the thriving teams that you have been on, whether at work or sport, and I guarantee you that every member contributed, in an enthusiastic way. Slacking off was not tolerated.

The term accountability bubbles up regularly in my leadership coaching practice.

Accountability generally describes the level of ownership to ensure a task is completed to a satisfactory standard. From a tactical perspective, that simplified definition is correct. However, accountability is also an experience.

When a team member functions with a high-level of accountability, they complete their task with high standards, including with enthusiasm, a positive attitude, discipline and care. Those more nuanced elements of accountability fuel initiative, engagement and effective completion of a task; essentially, a job done well and not half-baked.

Accountability also has a contagion effect across the cultural ecosystem of the workplace. When one team member has a low level of accountability, it will negatively impact the overall workflow and mood of the rest of the team. That negativity will profoundly downgrade the quality of the overall engagement, including productivity. However, I want to stress that the reverse is also true too. When a team member or leader acts with a high level of accountability, it “raises the game” for the entire team.

As a workplace psychologist, when a client discloses that a team member “needs to be more accountable”, I inquire about the overall morale, engagement and performance of the team, because usually (not always) accountability is a symptom of a wider challenge, whether that challenge is owned by an individual alone, or something else going on within the team or culture.

As well, accountability is a complex construct, so achieving accountability is not as easy as merely saying “you need to be more accountable”.

Accountability in the workplace demands “lifting up the hood” and so I must investigate the inner workings and dynamics of the workplace to identify the root causes — there are always more than one. For example, is a team member struggling with personal issues, or do they need more skills training, or is there a micromanaging leader, or does conflict exist between team members?

If accountability issues are not looked at holistically, and if they are not unearthed properly, “things” will fester.

On rare occasions, unfortunately, there may simply be a “non-contributor” on the team, and the leaders need to take action as soon as possible. Taking such remedial action may include: hiring a coach, referring the employee to EAP, simply having an honest discussion, and the formulation of performance improvement plans. The message of leadership, backed by action, should be that everyone on the team is expected to contribute.

So how can leaders help those team members to operate with higher levels of accountability? While this is not a complete list, I would consider the following when helping a team member to “raise their game”:

1, Role clarity: are they clear about their role, job description, and task?

2, Motivation: what impacts their personal level of engagement, is it financial reward, autonomy, sense of joy at work, etc?

3, Competency: do they have the proper skills and training to do their job well?

4, Team dynamics: is their immediate team collaborative, friendly and co-operative?

5, Personal struggles: are they dealing with challenges at home that is impacting their energies, focus and time?

6, Leadership: is their leader(s) leading at the right “level”, ie, not micromanaging and/or not supportive enough?

7, Professional development: do they see the long term in their career? Are there professional development opportunities available?

8, Role models of high performers: is it a high-performing culture? Do they have inspirational and supportive leaders who support their success?

Essentially, when aiming to improve accountability, it is important to consider the influencing factors that impact motivation, and the greater cultural ecosystem. Hiring an external coach can assist this process.

• Jennifer Card, Psy D is an organisational psychologist, leadership consultant, executive coach, conflict mediator and team dynamics specialist at Coral Leadership (Bermuda)