T115: Building a Culture of Accountability, Not Blame

  • Room: 206
  • Session Number:T115
Tuesday, July 21, 2026: 11:20 AM - 12:10 PM

Speaker(s)

Moderator
Leah Southers CGFM, CPA
Partner
Williams Adley
Speaker
Erica Gaddy
Assistant Commissioner – Office of Accounting
The Department of Treasury, Bureau of Fiscal Service
Speaker
Veleda Henderson CGFM, CPA
Audit Officer
Administrative Office of the US Courts
Speaker
Eric Rivera CGFM, CPA
Assistant Inspector General for Audit
Export-Import Bank of the United States

Description

All organizations function best when they foster a culture of accountability and mutual respect, moving away from the action of finger-pointing to an environment of ownership. Learn how leaders can build a culture of accountability that strengthens internal controls, encourages transparency and drives real improvement.



Key Takeaways

• Accountability improves performance; blame suppresses risk reporting.
• Sustainable corrective actions address process weaknesses, not personalities.
• Leadership tone directly influences control effectiveness and transparency.
• Clear ownership, follow-up and communication reduce repeat findings.

Learning Objectives

Distinguish between blame-driven and accountability-driven cultures in oversight environments. Identify leadership behaviors that promote transparency and early issue reporting. Apply root cause analysis techniques that focus on systems, not individuals. Implement strategies to strengthen ownership of internal controls and corrective actions.

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