Performance Issues
The Accountability Check-In
When a team member is not taking ownership of their work and tends to deflect responsibility.
Opening Script
[name], I want to talk about something I've been observing around ownership and accountability. In recent situations like [specific examples], I noticed that when things didn't go as planned, the response was [specific deflection pattern]. I need us to shift toward a mindset where we own outcomes — good and bad — because that's how we grow and how the team builds trust.
Key Phrases to Use
- “Owning a mistake doesn't make you less capable — it makes you more trusted.”
- “What would it look like to take full ownership of this area?”
- “I'm not looking for blame — I'm looking for ownership.”
- “When things go wrong, I want your first instinct to be "what can I do?" not "whose fault is it?"”
Phrases to Avoid
- “You always blame other people.”
- “Stop making excuses.”
- “You need to take this more seriously.”
Follow-Up Steps
- 1Define clear ownership boundaries for their projects and responsibilities.
- 2Model accountability yourself by sharing examples of owning your own mistakes.
- 3Recognize and praise the first instance of improved ownership publicly.
Emotional Awareness Tip
People who deflect often do so because they fear judgment. Creating safety is key — if they believe mistakes lead to punishment, they'll never own them. Share a time you made a mistake and owned it. Show them that accountability is safe on your team.
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