Leadership isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about creating an environment where others grow, perform, and take ownership of their impact.
Many leaders, especially high-achievers, carry an unspoken burden — the belief that their job is to have all the answers. But that mindset creates dependency, bottlenecks decision-making, and ultimately stalls progress.
The most effective leaders? They build capability in others while cultivating a culture of accountability. They know that performance isn’t driven by micromanagement or pressure; it’s fuelled by clarity, trust, and development.
At Steople, this is one of the most transformational shifts we see in executive coaching: when leaders move from “doing” to “developing” and “controlling” to “coaching.”
Leadership as a Multiplier
Liz Wiseman coined the term “Multipliers” to describe leaders who use their intelligence to amplify the smarts and capability of those around them. They ask questions instead of giving answers. They give ownership, not just tasks. And they stretch people beyond what they thought was possible.
That’s not just great leadership — it’s scalable performance.
In our Leading for Performance and Wellbeing model™, “Builds Capability & Accountability” is the bridge between care and challenge. It asks:
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Are you growing the people around you?
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Are you setting high expectations with clarity?
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Are you enabling others to take responsibility — and rise to it?
What the Research Tells Us
Research shows that people are more engaged, resilient, and productive when they have:
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A sense of mastery (developing competence)
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Autonomy (ownership of outcomes)
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Clarity of expectations and consequences
In fact, a McKinsey report found that capability-building efforts are the most important lever for driving organisational health, and healthy organisations significantly outperform their peers in the long term.
But here’s the catch: capability without accountability is ineffective. And accountability without support is demoralising.
How We Coach for Growth and Ownership
Steople coaching equips leaders to strike the right balance between supporting growth and driving accountability.
We help leaders:
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Clarify and communicate expectations without ambiguity
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Provide meaningful feedback and consequences
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Identify development opportunities aligned with individual and team goals
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Use a coaching mindset to empower ownership, not dependency
A key tool in this journey is our Positive Behaviour Change Framework™. We guide leaders through a structured process of identifying behaviour gaps, setting development goals, reinforcing positive change, and embedding accountability systems across the organisation.
Whether it’s shifting from directive to coaching conversations, improving delegation, or building a feedback-rich culture, our programs drive both mindset and behavioural transformation.
Capability is Culture
When leaders model learning, people learn. When they take accountability, others do too.
Organisations that thrive in complexity are those that decentralise leadership, develop people at all levels, and foster psychological ownership. This isn’t a soft skill — it’s a competitive advantage.
And it starts at the top. Leaders set the tone for what is expected, what is possible, and what it means to grow together. When capability-building and accountability are embedded, performance becomes not just sustainable, but self-propelling.
Want to Develop Growth-Focused, Accountable Leaders?
Contact us at info@steople.com.au or visit steople.com.au to explore how we build scalable leadership capability inside your business.