Across industries, the highest-performing teams don't rely on a manager to hold members accountable, but rather create a culture in which peers respectfully confront one another, according to a post from Harvard Business Review.
In a setting where employees feel comfortable addressing problems, such as tardiness, inappropriate behavior or a less-than-thorough presentation, it creates greater trust among staff and results in managers spending less time untangling conflicts, the post stated.
Managers must set the tone, however, to establish this culture of universal accountability. This means that they should discuss issues promptly and directly with the appropriate party--not complain about the person to a coworker or other manager.
Second, managers must accept direct and honest feedback from colleagues, regardless of their rank within the practice. If employees take the risk of critiquing a manager, therefore, they must not be punished for it.
Finally, managers must teach their employees how to conduct these "crucial" conversations, and walk them through common scenarios, or even role-play better ways to handle recent practice occurrences.
Promoting team accountability does not require, however, an environment in which employees nitpick at one another. Rather, follow these tips to help foster a greater sense of belonging--and therefore dedication--among staff members.
To learn more:
- read the post