Leaders everywhere this year wrestled with the following dilemma: Should they focus on culture and hope results will follow? Or should they focus on results and hope performance crowds out other issues?
Science suggests this is a false dilemma. The healthiest cultures are those in which leaders set the right expectations for performance while embracing open communication, risk-taking, and learning from failure.
Below, we’ve selected our top articles from 2024 on accountability to help every leader build healthy cultures that get results.
Must-reads
The 3 Habits of Accountability
Accountability boils down to three cognitive skills: thinking ahead, owning commitments, and anchoring on solutions. Leaders who practice these habits — and embed them in their teams — stand the greatest chance of success.
Psychological Safety and Accountability: Three Insights From NLI’s Conversation With Amy Edmondson
Researcher Amy Edmonson has found that psychological safety is an active ingredient in accountability, not its opposite. Teams are most durable and resilient when they are free to make mistakes and work together to get back on track.
What It Looks Like to Create Psychological Safety and Accountability
Psychological safety without accountability creates a culture of niceness, where things fall through the cracks. But accountability without psychological safety creates a culture of command and control. Find the sweet spot by practicing both.
The Three-Legged Stool of Modern Leadership
Accountability is just one of three crucial factors that make up a successful leader. The other two are growth mindset and psychological safety. Together, these three qualities help teams learn, perform, and improve over time.
