Accountability Is a Two-way Street

We've all experienced periods of varying productivity. Being unproductive is subjective, and for myself a lack of production is often linked with other things. Like binge-watching a new show or having just finished a home/hobby project. It’s a fact of life that we cannot always be productive, but what’s crucial is how we manage our unproductive moments while still achieving our goals.

In my role as a Delivery Lead at Clientek, I spend a lot of time holding others accountable for their commitments. And doing so successfully requires introspection. Knowing that productivity will ebb and flow, I must ensure self-accountability before addressing others’. Personally, I identify my most productive times throughout the day, and set my goals accordingly. Providing this example to my team is important; when I inquire about task progress, it should feel constructive not critical.

At the same time, I encourage my team members to hold me accountable. I provide clear timelines for my commitments, inviting them to call me out whenever necessary. Sometimes, my role involves gathering all the requirements for a given story. If the team isn’t seeing that work getting done before the sprint deadline, I trust that they'll bring it to my attention—it's a two-way street.

Consistently meeting delivery deadlines requires accountability throughout the team. Establishing a good rapport and understanding what drives one another's productivity is vital. While self-accountability is valuable, having support from others enhances success, fostering trust and reliability throughout the entire team.

In essence, fostering a culture of mutual accountability leads to successful, enduring projects, where team members can depend on each other to deliver.