Ever seen a new employee come aboard with lots of energy, only to run out of gas? Why is that? Is it peer pressure from co-workers, fearing the new hire is outshining them? Or is the newbie is looking at her peers, thinking, “Hey, I’m the only one working my tail off around here! Maybe I should slack off and join the pack.” When new hires arrive and see their colleagues’ pace, they tend to adapt to that speed; monkey-see, monkey-do.

How can you, as a manager, get your team members to embrace accountability? Indeed, how can you hold them accountable unless they know exactly what they’re being held accountable for? To get the best results, make sure your employees have a thorough understanding of how their duties fit with the corporate goals.

Few things take the wind out of a good employee’s sails more thoroughly than being trapped in a corporate culture that seems to reward mediocrity. This can make even the most gung-ho team member feel like she’s unappreciated and wasting her time in this workplace. What’s the point of trying to be a cut above when you’re held accountable to the exact same standards as the people who consistently do as little as they can get away with? Most people want to be held accountable, especially if they’re doing a good job and want to be recognized for it.

You want to be an effective team leader—don’t we all? Start by:

• Initiating meaningful dialogue with your team, setting up areas of responsibility, creating specific performance standards and establishing intelligent criteria.
• Keeping in mind that your team members are individuals with motivations as different as their work styles.
• Respecting and responding to their differences so they’ll perform above and beyond expectations.
• Understanding your employees like you understand your customers.
• Finding out what each member of your team truly values.
• Creating a follow-up system and holding your people accountable.