How Healthy Accountability Allows You to Land the Plane

What do accountability and landing a plane have in common? 

If you’ve ever watched a pilot land a plane, you know it’s a high-stakes moment. The pilot is responsible for the landing, but pilots don’t work in isolation. They’ve built a flight plan with input from experts, trusted their team both on the ground and in the air, and adjusted as needed. After a successful landing, they thank everyone involved and celebrate the shared achievement. That’s what accountability looks like in effective leadership—it’s not just personal ownership, but a collective effort. 

This is what Healthy Accountability is all about—where taking ownership of your work is also supported and encouraged by a team. The metaphor of a pilot offers a clear picture: leaders take responsibility, but they also know when to lean on the team and when to give credit for success. 

From Reactive to Proactive Accountability 

In many organizations, accountability has a bad reputation. Too often, it’s something that is only talked about when things go wrong—someone is “held accountable,” and it feels punitive. But the Accountabilty Research Project launched this year by Good Leadership, confirmed that’s not how accountability works at its best. 

When accountability is healthy, it’s proactive, not reactive. The research showed that when people are given clarity and support, they’re eager to take ownership. What’s missing in most organizations is a positive, forward-thinking culture around accountability—one where people seek accountability because they believe taking ownership is a growth opportunity, and individual way to contribute to the team’s success. 

That’s the idea behind the Healthy Accountability Workshops. These sessions help organizations shift from a reactive mindset—where accountability is something imposed after the fact—to a proactive culture, where employees embrace accountability because they feel equipped and supported to own their work. 

What Healthy Accountability Looks Like 

In a culture of healthy accountability: 

• Personal ownership increases, with employees who are committed to delivering their best work on time: Personal ownership is 38% higher among employees who care about delivering good work on time, compared to those who do not prioritize timely delivery. 

• Feedback is welcomed, because people understand it helps them improve: Employees who view accountability as an opportunity for growth report 33% higher scores in seeing their accountability mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. 

• A “win-together” mindset takes root—where success is celebrated as a collective achievement, not just individual performance: Employees who see their team deliver better results for those who rely on them report 40% higher scores in viewing accountability as positive. 

When these principles take hold, leaders see a more motivated and engaged workforce. Employees understand how their work fits into the bigger picture, and they see accountability as an opportunity for growth, not something to be feared. 

Building a Culture of Accountability 

The Healthy Accountability Workshop is designed for high-potential leaders who are ready to influence their team culture. In groups of 10-15 participants, the experience is interactive and customized to meet the unique needs of the organization. Leaders explore accountability at the individual, team, and organizational levels—and develop a clear plan for building a culture of healthy accountability. 

For organizations looking for deeper insight, customized surveys can be included to benchmark the current state of accountability and pinpoint areas for improvement. 

Just like a pilot landing a plane, leadership requires personal ownership, teamwork, and focus. By embracing a culture of healthy accountability, workplaces can be created where employees feel empowered, trust one another, and celebrate success together. 

For more information about the Healthy Accountability Workshops, contact info@goodleadership.com.