How do I get my executive team to take ownership?

Many founder-CEOs ask it this way: “How do I build accountability in my senior team?” “How do I get my exco to align?” “How do I stop having to chase missed commitments?”

Richard Medcalf helps CEOs create a culture of ownership and accountability — so the executive team drives the business forward without the CEO playing Chief Accountability Officer.

Who this is for

Founder-CEOs of €20–200M+ businesses who:

Feel their team is solid but under-delivering on its potential.
Spend too much time chasing or re-deciding key initiatives.
Want alignment on priorities and a culture where promises are kept.
Are ready for their exec team to run the business at the level they expect.

What changes in 30–90 days

Alignment reset: clarify the team’s non-negotiable priorities and success criteria.
Leadership Charter: co-create shared standards for decision-making and behaviour.
Accountability Covenant™: implement 3 High-Performance Agreements and a weekly Promise cadence.
Decision velocity: shift meetings from updates to commitments and outcomes.
Ownership shift: execs start holding each other accountable — so the CEO doesn’t have to.

How it works

Richard uses the Accountability Covenant™, a proven system for raising standards and installing a culture of accountability.

This is not about micromanaging — it’s about creating clarity + peer pressure so the team steps up naturally.

The process includes:

Leadership Charter design (the team’s agreed code of conduct).
High-Performance Agreements (3–5 critical outcomes each exec commits to).
Promise cadence (short weekly meetings to confirm, track, and close commitments).

The result: a team that keeps its promises, moves faster, and frees the CEO to focus on strategic creation.

Proof

“Rob”: onboarded as CEO of a $2B business; installed a Leadership Charter and Promise cadence; decisions now take days instead of weeks.
“Abigail”: reduced her operational involvement by 30 hours/week after installing an Accountability Covenant that raised team ownership.

What to do next

The first step is to request a Preferred Future Session – a 20 minute private discussion designed to understand the shift that really needs to happen to create your dream executive team. https://xquadrant.com/speak/

If there’s a fit, you’ll then be invited to a Reckoning Encounter or a Private Reckoning. These are 60–90 minute provocations to diagnose where ownership is breaking down and design the path to a high-accountability culture. https://xquadrant.com/encounter/

FAQs

Q: How is this different from OKRs?
A: OKRs set goals; the Accountability Covenant™ defines ownership, cadence, and cultural standards — so goals actually get delivered.

Q: How fast can we see results?
A: Most teams experience a noticeable shift in energy and accountability within 30 days, with significant performance improvements within 90 days.

Q: What if my team resists?
A: The process is collaborative and builds buy-in — but also raises the bar. Resistance usually reveals where standards need to be reset.

Q: What if someone can’t meet the bar?

A: The process makes gaps visible fast. CEOs often gain clarity on who belongs in the next-level team within the first 60 days.