Accountability: The road to success

Accountability Redefined

Accountability is a word that gets thrown around in press conferences, but it means many things to many people.  To some, it’s an individual doing all things necessary for preparation – but that’s better defined as responsibility.  To others, it means some sort of punishment for a lack of responsibility.  

In sports, it is best to think of peer-to-peer accountability. Many coaches shy away from this for fear of loss of control among their players and a divided team.  

With a proper understanding of accountability, we can eliminate the fear and gain the benefits we want:  Accountability is walking down the long, hard road together. Teammates don’t let teammates fail, and teammates don’t let teammates flail. 

Accountability Starting Point

An NFL coach asked for my advice on building this kind of player-to-player accountability. My first question was, “who are your top ten leaders?”  He said, “I don’t think I have that many”.  I asked several ways, and each time he gave the same answer.  Finally he said he really didn’t think he had any!

This is a worst-case scenario, but it can happen at any level.  When starting from this point, find two athletes who are simply willing to push and praise each other.  Give them instructions as to what is appropriate for your team and what is out of bounds.  Remind them to start with a foundation of trust and praise before the harder steps. Give early, regular feedback to them as to the why peer accountability is important.

Accountability Realized

The road is long but when a team embraces peer-to-peer accountability they will be fully open with one another, settle differences on their own, choose to commit together to specific behaviors and always look out for each other ahead of themselves.  

They not only know your culture; but can articulate it, live it, and teach it.

This team shows up day one of practice conditioned and with fundamentals well-practiced on their own.  They have sacrificed what others will not.  Together, they go into each other’s lives and struggles to make themselves better known to each other.   

The key to all this is volition.  It is CHOSEN by THEM, and they accept responsibility for far more than their competitors would ever dream.  Coaches must cast vision, provide the environment, make corrections. But in the end, players must choose it.  

“It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities.” – Sir Josiah Stamp