“Are you holding your people accountable?”

It’s a question I’ve heard more times than I can count—often asked with concern, and occasionally with judgment. It’s also a question that, for years, made me uneasy.

It reflects a common leadership mindset: that accountability is something you apply to others. But in my experience, and in the work I now do as a leadership coach and mentor, true accountability isn’t something you enforce—it’s something you cultivate.

If you’re trying to improve team performance, build trust, and lead with purpose, this post will help you understand the difference between holding people accountable and building a culture of accountability—and why it matters more than ever.

What Does “Holding People Accountable” Really Mean?

The traditional definition of accountable is:

Being the one who must meet an obligation or suffer the consequences for failing to do so.

That definition frames accountability as a top-down exercise. In most organizations, this shows up as:

• Performance reviews with a punitive tone

• Leadership “checking in” only when things go wrong

• Pressure to meet targets without addressing root causes

This approach may drive short-term compliance, but it rarely builds engagement—or delivers long-term results.

What Is a Culture of Accountability?

A culture of accountability is different. It’s shared, proactive, and deeply embedded in how people work together. It’s what happens when individuals take ownership because they want to, not because they’re afraid of being called out.

In a culture of accountability:

• People align around clear expectations and shared purpose

• Feedback is open and welcomed

• Trust is the foundation, not fear

• Accountability flows in all directions—not just top-down

When this type of culture takes root, it drives stronger performance, higher engagement, and greater resilience.

My Turning Point as a Leader: A Story from the Startup Trenches

Years ago, I was part of a fast-growing wireless startup, helping launch the MiKE network with ClearNET—a disruptive platform that combined a two-way radio, cellular phone, and alphanumeric pager into one device.

It was my first sales manager role. My initial goal was to triple the size of the sales team to support our commercial launch. The technology gave me a powerful value proposition to recruit top sales talent, and the energy was high. But like all startups, we hit growing pains—and they were showing up in our results.

To get a handle on what was happening, my boss at the time, Barry Cohen—our National Director of Sales—came to Montreal. He held a town hall-style meeting, reminding the team of the opportunity ahead and laying out clear expectations. He encouraged questions and feedback.

But frustration was high. Many of the questions implied, “Barry, what are you going to do about this?”

Then came one especially pointed question. Barry paused, listened closely, and responded with something I’ll never forget:

“If you were me, what would you do?”

The mood in the room shifted instantly.

That one question transformed the tone from blame to shared responsibility. It changed the energy—from complaint to collaboration. The team realized he wasn’t there to dictate; he was there to partner with us in figuring it out.

That moment shaped the rest of my leadership journey.

Instead of cracking down on under performance, I focused on opening up conversations—about goals, obstacles, and what we needed to succeed. I clarified expectations and invited input on how we’d move forward. No micromanagement. No ultimatums. Just mutual respect and a shared commitment to improve.

It was the beginning of a true culture of accountability—and it’s the kind of transformation I now help other leaders create.

Holding People Accountable vs. Creating a Culture of Accountability

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the two approaches:

	Holding People Accountable	Culture of Accountability
Leadership Style	Command-and-control	Trust-based and empowering
Timing	After issues arise	Built into daily behavior
Motivation	Compliance through pressure	Commitment through ownership
Focus	Short-term correction	Long-term performance and growth
Sustainability	Low	High

Why This Matters for Modern Leadership

The best leaders today aren’t focused on policing performance. They’re focused on creating the conditions for performance to thrive.

Through my coaching practice, I help leaders and organizations:

• Build high-performance cultures rooted in mutual accountability

• Strengthen emotional intelligence and leadership agility

• Shift from managing performance to enabling it

• Unlock intrinsic motivation and align teams around shared goals

  
  

This work lives at the intersection of leadership and management—where clarity, trust, and accountability come together.