One of the defining qualities of a culture of positive influence is mutual accountability. It is a quality that every member of the team can cherish because it makes everyone more successful. But what does a culture of mutual accountability look like? How do team members actually hold each other accountable regardless of their level of authority?
Accountability is easiest to establish and enforce when it is put into the form of a commitment with a timetable. As the leader, you explain that this is the team standard for setting the right expectations and holding each other accountable. You tell them that no one should feel awkward about expecting everyone to do what they say they will do when they say they will do it.
If anyone needs something from a coworker and there is any doubt about it being completed, the request can sound like this:
“Can you do this for me?...How soon will you be able to do it? (Or, can you do this for me by the end of the day tomorrow?)…Thanks, that will enable me to _______.” (Here you’re telling them, if necessary, why the timetable is important – why you are counting on it.)
Now they’ve given their word, and they know the other person is relying on them. It is no longer enough for them to say, “I’m sorry, something else came up.” It’s no longer about, “If I don’t do this, it’s okay as long as I have an excuse.” It’s about, “Am I a person who can be trusted?”
As the leader, you are setting the standard that people should not ask for things they don’t need, and they shouldn’t say they’ll do something if they’re not sure they can do it. Everyone gives a respectful explanation of why they need something (unless it’s obvious), or why they can’t commit to fulfill the request if that is truly the case.
This is the standard that you uphold as diligently as everyone else does, and they know it. With this team standard, they have just as much right to hold you accountable as you have to hold them accountable. That’s mutual accountability, where honoring commitments is not about authority, it’s about integrity.
Part of the code of your team culture of positive influence is that no one sets an expectation unless they are giving their word to meet it. This is one of the foundational blocks in a culture of trust, which is a crucial component of a culture of positive influence.