What Does The Practice Of Accountability Mean?

When leaders are asked what they would like to get better at, the answer is often accountability. Usually, it’s thought to be about holding people accountable for non-performance, but the leadership practice of accountability can be so much more! Yes, it is about holding people to account, but it is also an opportunity to grow relationships, strengthen a culture of excellence, and enable the individual to achieve their very best performance.

How does this work?

Let’s start by recognizing that the starting point is to ensure the person has the needed skills to successfully deliver the goal—and if not, put a plan in place to secure the necessary skills. If you think of the root words of accountability— “account” and “ability”—the first responsibility of the leader is to ensure the person is positioned to successfully deliver.  Then the leader must explain the consequences for performance and nonperformance. Next, they must ensure the individual understands the path forward, including when interim check ins will occur and what to do when barriers are encountered. Only when the leader can look in the mirror and say, “I have done my job in teeing this person up for success so that they can perform,” is it fair to hold the employee accountable for their performance.

This also holds true for the leader. Do they have the leadership skills needed to practice accountability, bring the very best out in their team, and achieve great performance?

5 Building Blocks for Accountability

Leaders who achieve excellence by ensuring accountability adopt these key behaviors:

• Listen for understanding – leaders should embrace the “two ears one mouth” ratio and listen more than they talk, striving to hear not only what the person is saying, but listening for the meaning behind their words.
• Build trust – leaders must create meaningful relationships and connections with their employees. This helps solidify a high-functioning team where there is a spirit of reciprocity, a willingness to advocate for each other, and an esprit de corps where team members have each other’s backs.
• Have empathy – effective leaders recognize the importance of seeing things from different points of view, putting themselves in the other persons’ shoes, and striving to emotionally understand what they are feeling. As people’s expectations of work change, empathy is critical.
• Be inclusive – in an increasingly diverse workplace, leaders should accept they may not always have the best idea, fostering a spirit of collaboration to leverage the breadth of experience within their teams.
• Provide support – successful leaders understand the benefit of giving employees the tools they need to succeed. Employees who feel valued and supported have more positive work attitudes, experience higher levels of well-being, and have a deeper sense of belonging.

Although the burden on leaders may seem high, the payoff is high also. Leaders who excel in these five areas will build stronger, more accountable teams, contributing to both culture and performance.