Culture of Accountability
Let’s learn how to foster a culture of accountability.
What is a culture of accountability?
You are responsible for ensuring that your program team works cohesively toward the program's goals. One of the key elements of a successful program team is a culture of accountability.
A culture of accountability means that every member of the program team is responsible for their work and the outcomes they produce. It also means that they hold their colleagues accountable for their work and outcomes as well. This creates a sense of ownership and a commitment to excellence that drives the team toward success.
Practical scenarios
Let’s get specific. Accountability is part of the recipe for success. But in what scenarios should we consider accountability to be important? There are two basic scenarios we should consider:
Achieving program goals and milestones: You need to ensure that the program team is aware of the program goals and milestones. The program manager should establish clear metrics to measure progress and hold the team accountable for meeting those metrics. As the technical program manager, you are typically accountable for ensuring these goals and milestones are clear and accepted. You may not always define the actual goals, but you are highly influential in ensuring they are high quality.
Managing risks: You need to identify potential risks, assess their impact, and develop mitigation strategies. The program manager should ensure that the program team is aware of these risks and is working to mitigate them. They should hold the team accountable for implementing risk mitigation strategies. You, as the technical program manager, are accountable for risk management processes that can impact the program's success. Although various team members may own specific risks, you ...