The word accountability usually conjures up pictures of a room full of people, ducking behind their chairs or crates and pointing their fingers at someone else shouting, “It’s their fault.” This has nothing to do with accountability. In fact if someone is using accountability in response to a mistake or problem, it is probably too late. What’s more, people who use accountability as a way to blame others are only hiding in a “victim” mode and avoiding their own involvement.
In a company, division, region, district, branch, store, DC, or office with high accountability, employees ask for support when it is needed, rather than waiting until there is a problem or crisis that causes a breakdown. Employees don’t just take responsibility for the results in their section; instead they look for ways to support improved performance in the areas of the store they impact outside of the direct task or their job description.
Accountability is the basis for having an environment of trust, support, and commitment to excellence. With accountability, people can depend on each other and don’t have to worry about doing extra work because others failed to keep their commitments. Accountable people are proactive and continually ask themselves and each other, “what else can I/we do to get the results?”
When employees are accountable to each other, the resulting synergy creates new solutions that no one person could have developed. When people are accountable, they implement good solutions effectively. Many times they accomplish their results in half the time expected, because of the participation and commitment of everyone as a team.
Accountability in the workplace is something every manager wants to have. Accountability has a clear link to higher work performance, but experts indicate that it also results in improved competency and commitment to work, increased employee morale, and work satisfaction (Source: The U.S. Office of Personnel Management). It’s also known to improve creativity and innovation because the employee is more invested in the future of the organization.lack_accountability
However, according to a study (Source: AMA Enterprise, 2015), leaders recognize a significant lack of accountability on the part of employees. In fact, 21 percent of respondents stated that unaccountable employees make up 30-50 percent of their workforce.
What exactly is accountability in the workplace, and why is it essential to high performance? What can leaders do to make accountability part of their organization’s culture?
Accountability: A Flawed Definition
The Traditional View
Most people view accountability as something that belittles them, happens only when performance wanes, or occurs when problems develop or results fail to materialize. In fact, many think accountability only arises when something goes wrong or when someone else wants to isolate the cause of the problem--all for the sake of pinning blame and pointing the finger.
Most dictionaries present a definition of accountability that promotes a seemingly negative view. Consider Webster’s definition:
“Subject to having to report, explain or justify; being answerable, responsible.”
Notice how the definition begins with the words “subject to,” implying little choice in the matter. This confession- oriented and powerless definition suggests what we all have observed--accountability is viewed as a consequence for poor performance; it’s a principle you should fear because it will only end up hurting you. Little wonder people spend so much time avoiding accountability and trying to explain
This confession- oriented and powerless definition suggests what we all have observed--accountability is viewed as a consequence for poor performance; it’s a principle you should fear because it will only end up hurting you. Little wonder people spend so much time avoiding accountability and trying to explain and justify poor results. A more positive and powerful definition of accountability can do more to achieve outstanding results than all the finger pointing and blaming that typically occurs.
The Alternative View
Consider the following alternative definition of accountability:
“A personal choice to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrate the ownership necessary for achieving desired results.”
This definition suggests a mindset or attitude of continually asking, “What else can I do to rise above my circumstances and achieve the desired results?” It involves a process of seeing, owning, solving, and doing, and requires a level of ownership that includes making, keeping, and answering personal commitments. Such a perspective embraces both current and future efforts rather than reactive and historical explanations. Armed with this new definition of accountability, organizations can help leaders and employees do everything possible to both overcome difficult circumstances and achieve desired results.
Accountability in the Workplace
High performance teams and organizations empower employees to take ownership, they foster a accountability, and they have a high levels of trust between all levels of the organization. Furthermore, there’s a strong link between these three values and characteristics of high performance.
Ownership is about taking initiative and doing the right thing for the business. It’s about taking responsibility for results and not assuming it’s not someone else’s responsibility. At minimum, taking ownership means that if you recognize something is material to achieving results, that you take the initiative to bring it to the attention of the right people. If ownership is about taking initiative, accountability is about follow through and getting done what you said you’d get done. It’s recognizing that other team members are dependant on the results of your work and not wanting to let them down. It’s about good, open, pro-active communication to keep team members informed on the status of your commitments because you respect that the results of your work has a direct impact on their ability to make their own commitments. Ultimately, when team members consistently demonstrate ownership and accountability, trust is formed.
Key Shifts Needed for Greater Accountability
How do successful organizations enable their people to take ownership for delivering on their intended results? Staying competitive usually means finding practical answers to that question. From our perspective, creating higher levels of ownership often drives better results and increases the value and growth of the company. To be truly effective in today’s corporate environment, leaders must be able to help find ways to create higher levels of ownership and joint accountability for achieving key results.
Teams, departments and organization are able to do so by making several key shifts in the way people think and act:
Externalizing vs. Internalizing
People have a tendency to externalize the need for change. Most people are quite skilled at recognizing there is a problem. For example, “I sure wish marketing would start doing their job better” or, “I wish management would be more responsive.” People inherently struggle, however, with the ability to define themselves within the problem. An accountable mindset is one that says, “If I’m part of the problem, I’m part of the solution.”
Blaming others vs. taking Accountability
Human nature drives people to blame others when things are going wrong. For some organizations, the Blame Game has become so commonplace that it becomes not only accepted but expected when someone doesn't deliver.Organizations that are able to instill a Culture of Accountability are able to take all of the time, energy and resources employed in the Blame Game and channel them into a consistent focus on the organizational results. Internalizing the need For change taking accountability achieving the result. Organizations that are able to instill a Culture of Accountability are able to take all of the time, energy and resources employed in the Blame Game and channel them into a consistent focus on the organizational results.
Doing the Job vs. Achieving the Result
Most leaders are fairly capable when it comes to creating accountability for activity levels. Less common is a leader who has created accountability around organizational results – a key shift in Creating a Culture of Accountability.
Doing the Job vs. Achieving the Result
Most leaders are fairly capable when it comes to creating accountability for activity levels. Less common is a leader who has created accountability around organizational results – a key shift in Creating a Culture of Accountability.
Telling People What to Do vs. engaging the Hearts and Minds of People
The “Tell Me What to Do” Culture is a culture where people check their brains at the door, punch the clock, and check off the list of activities that define their job. This activity-oriented mentality tends to be devoid of pro-activity because, “No one is telling me what to do” A critical shift is engaging the hearts and minds of people instead of just their hands and feet.
To learn how Managers Can Build an Accountable Culture and Hold People Accountable in a Positive Way click on the first attachment.
To learn how Employees can be taught to hold themselves and other accountable click on the second attachment.
How to Make Accountability Part of Your Culture
Here are some of the things leaders can do to help make accountability a key value.
Make accountability a lived value
Make accountability a part of your team’s normal way of operating. Talk about it, share ideas, come to a common consensus about what accountability means in the workplace, and then use that as a foundation everyone works from as they make accountability an organizational goal.
Most importantly, make sure that accountability is more than a stated characteristic of how your team operates. Accountability needs to have consequences which are both positive and negative and those consequences need to be consistently applied. Research consistently contends that business leaders lose the most kudos when poor performance isn’t dealt with and poor performers are able to continue without repercussion.
Goals are at the heart of accountability
An important step here is to break things down into meaningful goals and measurable metrics for everyone in the organization. Without proper goals, it’s also going to be nearly impossible to effectively enforce accountability.
Goals provide clear expectations for everyone on what’s expected. The less room for ambiguity the better – so goals need to be specific and measurable. In a team environment, this is especially important because of the dependency on each others’ work and the exponential impact of not meeting expectations.
Another important outcome of having goals is defining what is NOT going to be a priority. One of the biggest reasons we fail to live up to our commitments is because we put too much on our plate and become de-focused on key priorities. So goals need to be realistic. We can’t create accountability if what we’re asking people to be accountable for isn’t realistic or achievable.
Show the numbers
There are 3 ways that showing key metrics creates workplace accountability.
First, showing the number declares ownership. Every goal should be measurable and sharing this is a great way to demonstrate commitment to the result and communicate a clear expectation to other team members.
Second, showing the numbers creates some healthy workplace competition. Achieving goals and receiving recognition is a positive consequence of accountability. Missing a goal that’s openly shared with the team has the effect of making us double down the next period to do better.
Third, showing goals helps keep people focused on priorities. It’s easy to get distracted by new projects, but showing goals helps you hold yourself accountable and helps others hold you accountable as well.
Make accountability everyone’s responsibility
Ownership is about taking responsibility and taking initiative whether or not the responsibility is clearly yours. There’s a tendency in group settings for diffusion of responsibility whereby a person is less likely to take responsibility for action or inaction when others are present. In the context of accountability, this may mean you don’t see yourself as responsible for holding others accountable for timeliness, quality and strong communication. Perhaps it isn’t your responsibility – there’s someone more senior in the meeting or team, but this is where taking ownership becomes important. Resist the temptation to ignore when someone on your team needs to be held accountable.
Smart Development Inc. specializes in helping leaders engage team members so they are able to contribute in greater ways to key business outcomes.
Call or email us today for more information on how we’ve helped other businesses build accountability in their companies and teams.
Tel: 323-854-1713
Email: petercmclees@gmail.com
