Building Accountability

When solid feedback is being passed back and forth, it is important to let the facts speak for themselves and enforce accountability. If you make a strong case for the way things need to be done, but don't hold anyone accountable for doing things that way, you've only made a suggestion.

Accountability can be uncomfortable because you have to confront mistakes which involves awkward and difficult conversations. However, not holding individuals accountable for mistakes sends a universal message that there is no accountability, so don't worry about doing things wrong. Similarly, if you don't reward successes, you send a universal message that there is no incentive for success, so don't bother trying your best.

Let's start with Understanding Accountability, so you have a clear understanding of what accountability is and how it relates to you as a leader in the workplace. Watch the video below by Mike Figliuolo on Understanding Accountability and download the Glossary at the bottom of the page.

Keep Accountability in the Right Places

by Kevin Eikenberry

Keep Accountability in the Right Places text

We're winding down and now you know, or have been reminded, that managing for results require that we focus on three things, the goal, what are the results we're trying to get, the why or the purpose for reaching those results, and three, the roles of the team. Everyone needs to know what their role is and what they need to do for us to reach those great results. Hopefully now you recognize the power of commitment versus compliance. And if you do, you realize that you must keep accountability where it belongs. I know as the manager you have responsibility for the overall results, but you can't gain commitment and accountability from your team if you hold on to all of that responsibility yourself. In order for us to keep accountability where it belongs use everything you've learned here so far and these few more tips. Number one, do your people a favor and let them own it. Accountability is ultimately ownership. If you want them to be accountable let them own it. In your career you've had that experience, that's likely why you've been promoted. Give people the opportunity and the chance and the pride that comes with owning their work. Second, provide clear expectations absolutely. We've already talked about this here, but if you don't have a clear expectation you can't be accountable. You can't be accountable for what you don't know you're supposed to do. Next, help them succeed, but don't intercede. Give people the chance, give them the space to make success happen. Don't take over for them. And when you give them that space to succeed we must also be willing to let them fail. We learn from mistakes. We've got to give them a chance to have an occasional bobble or stumble, but we must provide a safety net because we don't want a stumble or a fumble to be fatal. Give people the chance to try, to succeed and fail, but not to fail so far that they get in trouble or it causes major problems. And lastly, remember you're playing a long game. If you're only thinking about today every failure looks like, I got to fix this right now. But when you realize you're playing a long game you realize that in the big picture, I'm trying to help people get results not just today and this week, but for the rest of their careers. Accountability belongs with your team. And when you allow them to have that accountability good things happen for them and your job actually gets easier. Both of you win and the results you get will be even better.

"Leaders must set the tone on accountability. Failure to do so will cause poor performance. People won't deliver."

"Accountability is what gets people to focus on and deliver what's important to the organization."

"...the expectation was clear and people knew there were consequences."