Most teams do not fall apart because of one big dramatic moment.
They usually start to fray in much smaller ways.
Someone walks past something because they are busy.
Someone notices a concern but assumes someone else will follow it up.
Someone leaves a message half-passed-on.
Someone says, “That’s not really my job.”
And technically, they might be right.
In care work, role boundaries matter. People should not be working outside their training, scope or authority. A support worker should not be expected to do the work of a nurse. A personal care worker should not be asked to make decisions they are not qualified to make. Clear roles protect people.
But there is a difference between saying, “That is outside my role, so I need to escalate it properly,” and saying, “That is not my problem.”
One is professional.
The other quietly damages the team.
The problem with “not my problem” thinking
In aged care and disability support, the quality of care is rarely created by one person.
It is created in the handovers, the small updates, the follow-through, the noticing, the checking, the tone of voice, the willingness to help, and the decision to speak up before something becomes bigger.
That is why “not my problem” thinking can do so much damage.
It creates little gaps.
And in care, little gaps matter.
A gap in communication can mean someone misses important information.
A gap in follow-through can mean a task is left for the next shift.
A gap in attitude can mean a colleague feels unsupported.
A gap in attention can mean the person receiving care feels rushed, dismissed or unseen.
Most of the time, these gaps are not created by bad people. They are created by tired people, busy people, unclear expectations and teams that have never properly talked about what accountability looks like in real life.
That is where Between the Flags helps.
What sits between the flags?
Between the Flags gives teams a simple way to talk about the behaviours that keep them in the safest, strongest part of teamwork.
Not perfect behaviour. Not fake positivity. Not pretending everything is fine.
Just the behaviours that help the team stay respectful, responsible and focused on care.
Between the flags sounds like:
“I’m not sure, so I’ll ask.”
“I can’t do that part, but I’ll let the right person know.”
“I noticed this earlier and I should have followed it up.”
“I’m under pressure, but I still need to communicate clearly.”
“I made a mistake. Here’s what I’ve done to fix it.”
“I need help before this becomes a bigger problem.”
Those are the small things that hold a team together.
They do not look flashy. They do not always get noticed. But they are the behaviours that make a shift feel safer and calmer.
What sits beyond the flags?
Beyond the flags is where teams start to drift into blame, excuses and avoidance.
It often sounds like:
“No one told me.”
“I thought someone else was doing it.”
“I already mentioned it.”
“They never listen anyway.”
“I was too busy.”
“That is not my job.”
Again, sometimes there is truth in those statements.
People are busy. Communication does break down. Leaders do miss things. Systems are not always clear.
But if the conversation stops there, nothing improves.
The team gets stuck in explaining why something did not happen, instead of working out what needs to happen next.
And that is the difference between excuse-making and accountability.
Accountability does not mean carrying everything yourself.
It means owning your part.
Accountability is not blame
This is important, because a lot of people hear the word accountability and immediately think they are about to get in trouble.
But accountability and blame are not the same thing.
Blame looks backwards and asks, “Whose fault is this?”
Accountability looks forward and asks, “What needs to happen now, and what is my part in that?”
That difference matters.
Especially in care teams, where people need to feel safe enough to speak up early.
If every mistake turns into a pile-on, people will hide things. They will minimise issues. They will become defensive. They will wait until a problem is too big to ignore.
That is not safer.
A between the flags team can still have hard conversations. Leaders still need to address poor performance. Serious issues still need to be managed properly.
But the culture is different.
The aim is not to shame people.
The aim is to bring behaviour back to the standard the team needs.
Leaders need to name it clearly
One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is assuming everyone has the same understanding of accountability.
They do not.
For one person, accountability means completing the task they were given.
For another person, it means noticing what else needs to happen.
For someone else, it means reporting a problem and then assuming their job is done.
That is why leaders need to be specific.
Instead of saying, “We need people to take more responsibility,” say what that actually means.
For example:
“If you notice something that could affect a person’s care, comfort or safety, you need to speak up early.”
“If you pass on important information, make sure it has been received and understood.”
“If something is outside your role, escalate it rather than ignore it.”
“If you make a mistake, name it quickly so we can fix it.”
“If you are under pressure, ask for help before the quality of care is affected.”
That is much clearer than “be accountable.”
It gives people something to actually do.
A simple question for your team
A useful team conversation is:
“When we say accountability, what do we actually mean here?”
Not in theory.
On a busy shift.
During handover.
When someone is frustrated.
When a task has not been done.
When a resident, client or family member needs something and everyone is already stretched.
Because that is where accountability really shows up.
Not in the policy folder.
Not in the values statement.
In the small choices people make during the day.
The choice to follow up.
The choice to ask.
The choice to own your part.
The choice to not walk past something just because it is inconvenient.
That is the work.
And when teams get clearer about those choices, they start to spend more time between the flags.
Leave a Reply