“When you check my work, it makes me feel like you don’t trust me.”

This was the feedback I received from a team member—a sentiment I’ve heard echoed by clients whose employees interpret oversight as a lack of trust. One employee told their manager that regular one-on-ones felt like micromanagement. Another took offence when their boss asked follow-up questions about a proposed idea, perceiving it as a lack of support.

There’s no question that autonomy fuels high performance. But does that mean managers should step back completely?

Not if results depend on teamwork, because leadership is key to team performance. The real question is how can leaders foster accountability and high performance without undermining autonomy?

The answer lies in cultivating accountable trust—a trust that empowers others while establishing practices that improve communication, quality, and results. Building this kind of culture requires three principles that reinforce one another in a cycle of excellence: Show Respect → Extend Trust → Engineer Accountability.

Clarify What Trust Actually Means

When that team member told me she didn’t like me checking her work, it was a wake-up call. We had very different expectations about what trust looked like—and that was on me. Since then, I’ve learned to clarify these expectations up front, even before hiring someone.

One of my go-to interview questions is: “What does trust look like to you?” This simple question opens the door to a meaningful conversation about how they have experienced trust in the past and whether their expectations align with how our team operates.

For example, quality is one of our core values. To maintain high standards, we’ve implemented several practices:

Two sets of eyes on all client deliverables and published content.Standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all key tasks. Regular debriefs on all completed work, including feedback on my own presentations.

To someone who equates trust with complete autonomy, these practices might feel like micromanagement. But to us, they’re signs of mutual respect and commitment to excellence. We believe the best ideas and our best work emerge through collaboration and feedback, not isolation.

Reckless trust is assuming people never make mistakes or have half-baked ideas. Accountable trust respects people’s competence while putting in systems that help everyone succeed. 

Here’s how to build accountable trust.

1. Show Respect

Respect is the foundation of every strong relationship. You can’t truly trust someone you don’t respect, and people won’t let you hold them accountable if they don’t feel respected. When respect is absent, small misunderstandings turn into perceived slights, often leading to passive-aggressive behavior or office politics. But when respect is present, people give each other the benefit of the doubt and go out of their way to help each other out.

The key to showing respect is to ask more questions and make fewer assumptions. Here are three powerful ways to show respect:

Don’t Blame. Blame is the most common response to problems, yet it triggers defensiveness and shuts down problem-solving. Instead of asking “Whose fault is this?” ask, “Where did the process break down?” This initiates a dialogue that leads to solutions.Model Accountability. It’s easy to spot other’s mistakes. It’s harder to notice and admit our part in problems. When bad things happen, accountable people ask, “How may I have contributed to this problem?” then admit their part.Ask for Advice. People often withhold helpful feedback because they don’t think you want to hear it. Show them you value their perspective by asking, “What do you think we should do here?” and “How can I support you better?”

When people feel respected, they are far more likely to respect and trust you in return.

2. Extend Trust

If you want others to take more ownership of their work, then trust must be extended, not earned. Withholding trust communicates doubt about someone’s competence or integrity. If an employee feels that their manager doesn’t trust them to run with an assignment, they won’t. Lack of trust kills confidence and initiative.

But when someone knows you trust them, they usually step up. Nobody wants to let down someone who’s placed confidence in them.

That said, accountable trust isn’t blind faith. Even the most competent people make mistakes. Accountable trust is about aligning on what success looks like and agreeing on how you’ll support each other to achieve it.

3. Engineer Accountability

Respect and trust lay the emotional groundwork for accountability. But sustainable excellence requires systems—practices that help people follow through on their commitments.

Here are three key practices to engineer accountability:

Clarify expectations. Most friction in teams stems from unclear or unspoken expectations. Before beginning a project or working relationship, ask, “What do you need from me to do your best work?” Clarifying expectations up front reduces misunderstandings and makes it easier to address problems when they happen.Use SOPs. Even the most skilled and experienced professionals make mistakes. SOPs help avoid preventable errors while freeing up mental bandwidth for strategic thinking. If someone on your team thinks they don’t need to follow SOPs, ask them if they’d board a plane with a pilot who skips the pre-flight checklist.Meet regularly. Instead of interrupting people every day for urgent issues, regularly scheduled one-on-one meetings create time for strategic discussion and reduces time spent firefighting. They are the ultimate accountability mechanism to stay informed on progress, follow-up on assignments, and provide feedback and coaching.  

When accountability systems are in place, people are more likely to follow through, which fosters even greater respect and trust, further reinforcing the cycle of excellence.

Some people believe that trust and accountability are at odds. The opposite is true—they amplify each other. But only accountable trust can sustain a culture of excellence. If you already have a foundation of mutual respect and trust, accountability systems will feel natural. And if you get pushback when introducing them, it may be a sign that the trust isn’t as solid as you thought.

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