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Why Accountability Fails: The Responsibility Crisis in Leadership

Is accountability driving performance in your team—or stifling ownership? What’s meant to inspire action often turns talented people into passive bystanders.

A coaching client of mine was leading an agile transformation, but their team was struggling with clarity and alignment. Their first instinct? Create a RACI model—a document mapping out who was responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed for each task.

Instead of fostering ownership, the structure backfired. People stayed in their lanes and waited for instructions—doing only what was assigned, nothing more.
Despite their efforts, they had unknowingly created an environment of compliance rather than ownership. Agile techniques alone weren’t enough—a real mindset shift wasn’t happening.

Accountability-driven cultures don’t create ownership—they create hesitation. If your team waits for direction instead of stepping up, t...