Lack of accountability is a kiss of death on transformations. Among other problems, it leads to a looming morale when important change initiatives do not gain traction and fail to show concrete results. Gaps usually appear in the perceived accountabilities as the teams come to terms with their morphing individual roles, responsibilities, and unfamiliar deliverables.
Thanks for reading and your thoughts, Stephen. It is so wonderful to have this spirited exchange of ideas!
I agree with your thoughts on the problems surrounding "the person". They are more common than they should be in our workplaces. I think it has to do with the quality of the leadership. Many managers skirt around the skill/ quality of work problems, instead of addressing it directly with the person. The person never gets true feedback under such managers and the problem festers, while costing the entire team. To me, this is the difference between a leader and a manager. A leader has the guts to take accountability of difficult discussions and make decisions. What do you think?