Team accountability, that's easy! Easy for me to discuss. It takes practice, and many of us leaders need to build our self-confidence. Why? Recognizing people who complete their work on time and follow through on their commitments is usually fun. Giving team members positive acknowledgement that's the good stuff.
Accountability comes from you, as the leader, recognizing everything that happens as promised, and calling out the misses. You do want to note that something is late. Or that an action item fell through the cracks. You don’t need to embarrass team members in front of everyone. You do need to say something. At a minimum, ask for information about issues and barriers to completion. Request a new date, and if that date is not acceptable, say so. You can then advise that the details will be worked out later. You do not want team members to assume that you noticed missed deadlines or lack of follow through. Team members need to know that you expect more, from everyone.
Accountability is not just for team members. You need to be the first one to honor commitments. The first one to call yourself out when you drop the ball. And the first one to address what happened, minus excuses. Teach your team what a recovery plan looks like by sharing with them what you are going to do to get back on track. Make it happen, and report back to them. You are human, and you will make mistakes. Make sure that you meet your commitments the majority of the time, do not try to hide it when you do not, and your team will respect you.
When you hold everyone accountable, honoring commitments becomes part of your team culture. You are on your way to becoming a high performing team.