Organizations don’t hire teams, don’t fire teams, and can only provide feedback based upon the work of the individual and how they contributed to the team goal.
The idea that “We all share accountability to complete this goal” is BULLSHIT. Ultimately it is the Team-Leader and Project-Manager who is accountable for achieving the Goals and Objectives that are assigned.
We cannot hold a team accountable. We can only hold the individual on the team accountable for accomplishing their delegated piece of the overall project.
When team members and team-leaders know where and to whom the accountability belongs then they can get on with their best work and use their time and abilities to complete their part of the team-goal. If people on the team feel they all share-accountability then people will assume power positions and stress that is not needed. Additionally they don’t have the proper context or necessary access to resources to complete all the team-task because they are not the team-leader.
What do you think?
Can shared-accountability work on a team? In what ways should the team-leader / project-manager ensure that everyone understand the accountabilities for the work? Have you ever experienced a team where you knew what you had to-do and everyone else also knew? How did that work?