Someone recently pointed out that I often say good teammates don’t “blame, shame, or complain.” At the same time, I also say that good teammates ‘hold each other accountable.”
They asked me what the difference is between blame and accountability—and it’s a valid question.
Blame and accountability are often confused, but they are very different concepts, especially when it comes to being a good teammate.
Blame focuses on pointing fingers and identifying who caused a problem. Its purpose is often to criticize, humiliate, or avoid responsibility.
Accountability, on the other hand, focuses on learning, aligning, and taking ownership of actions. It asks, “How can we make this better moving forward?” and “How can we keep this from happening again?”
Mistakes are inevitable on teams. Missed assignments, miscalculations, and miscommunications happen. Blaming others in those moments creates division, defensiveness, and distrust. It puts teammates on their proverbial heels and causes them to fear failure rather than grow from it.
Accountability creates the opposite effect. Accountable teammates admit mistakes, accept feedback, and work to improve for the benefit of the group. Holding someone accountable means supporting them through their mistakes instead of attacking them. It means focusing on solutions, not excuses.
This mindset requires teammates to view accountability as support for growth rather than a personal attack.
Good teammates always choose accountability over blame, and the reason is tied to a topic I explored in last week’s edition of Teammate Tuesdays: responsibility.
Lou Holtz, the late Hall of Fame football coach, famously opined, “Everybody wants to talk about their rights and privileges. Twenty-five years ago, people talked about their obligations and responsibilities.”
His sentiments certainly apply to the art of being a good teammate.
Because they are committed to doing what is best for the team over what might be best for the individual, good teammates see accountability as a responsibility. They focus on what is right or wrong, not who is right or wrong.
Blame, however, centers solely on who is right or wrong. It is tied to the individual, not the team, and is void of humility while rooted in arrogance. Those who blame others often fixate on their perceived right to assign fault or defend themselves.
While blame tears teams apart, accountability strengthens unity because it encourages honesty, trust, and growth. Teams improve when teammates take responsibility for holding each other accountable, which is why good teammates do not default to defensiveness or dismissiveness when confronted with mistakes.
They care enough to understand that the interaction is not about me; it’s about us.
As always…Good teammates care. Good teammates share. Good teammates listen. Go be a good teammate.
