Accountability and Commitment

Post Author: Dr. Jeff Feltzer, D.M.D and CEO of Equilibria in Healthcare

When we ask our clients what they want from their team and from a new hire, they almost always say, “Accountability and Commitment”. Those attributes are not achieved immediately or independently. In order to realize the potential of every person, Accountability and Commitment come as a result of the organization’s leadership ensuring that each essential is strongly embraced by themselves and their team members. The Essential Leadership Cycle which contains the 8 Essentials of High Performance Teams can be accessed through Equilibria in Health Care’s coaching process. Teams and organizations need to begin with the “Driving Elements” first in order to achieve the desired “Resultant Conditions”.

Self & Team Awareness.

This is where it all starts. A heightened awareness of self and team will allow individuals to manage their tendencies and become effective team players. This step can never be undermined, as it is a key enabler for the rest of the pyramid to function.

Shared Vision and Values.

Once team members know themselves and each other, the next logical step when aiming for high performance is to have a shared vision and set of values. Organizational wide vision and values will shape this essential.

Clarity of Roles and Processes.

This Essential explores the need to have well defined and agreed upon individual roles and team processes to set the foundation for some of the other Essentials. Building Trust and Owning Accountability are highly impacted by this essential being established or not.

Trust.

Trust is a multiplier in any organization; it can multiply the power of teams as well as increase the benefit of organizational processes such as feedback. A high level of trust amongst team members typically leads to granting positive intent, which reduces friction and develops successful communication.

Respect for Diversity of Thought.

When bringing people together there are always going to be some inherent challenges. Unconscious and conscious bias is the norm. A common dysfunction when analyzing this Essential is fear of healthy conflict and discussion. This is key to watch out for when integrating new people into a functioning organization.

Commitment.

This Essential looks into how personal participation leads to team commitment and how people need to participate in the decision-making process in order to commit to the final decision. It explores the notion that 100% consensus is rarely achievable but that 100% commitment is achievable, provided that all team members have their say and are listened to.

Owning Accountability.

High performance teams have high levels of accountability amongst team members. This applies to the team leader holding team members accountable for results and to peer-to-peer accountability. This accountability does not just revolve around results, but around the actions and behaviors that lead to those results.

Learning & Continuous Improvement.

High performance teams regularly debrief, reflect, learn from their experiences and share their knowledge with one another. High performing teams have an ethos of learning and continuous improvement.

At Equilibria in Health Care we ask every member of your team (and patients) to take the PDI online. Available at eqinhealthcare.com with the orange call to action button “Discover your E-Colors”. Armed with this information, everyone is then able to realize what their natural tendencies are and what usually causes them to react rather than respond.

According to a Harvard Business Review simulation, Self and Team awareness will result in immediate improvement with decision quality, coordination and decreased conflict.

Utilizing the Essential Leadership Cycle and coaching teams on Shared Vision and Values, and Clarity of Roles and Processes will enable your organization to realize even greater improvements than what we see in the simulation. Once the driving elements are in place, it is then reasonable to begin benefiting from the desired resultant conditions, like: Trust, Diversity in Inclusion, Commitment, and Accountability. Those attributes will also require coaching and increased understanding. Our easy to use tools are termed “Actionable Intelligence”. Easy to learn. Easy to perpetuate.

The “Actionable Intelligence”, which are our core coaching tools are numbered 1 through 12. When an entire organization is fluent in these tools, the desired benefits are quickly and easily attained. These were designed for all types of personalities and learning styles. Organizations that embrace our coaching tools will experience a “paradigm shift” that empowers every team and individual to realize their potential.

If you are interested in attending the upcoming AAFP Approved Equilibria in Healthcare - Caring with Intention: Leadership Workshop, please visit this link.