Whenever staff hear executives and leaders use the “A word”, that’s ‘accountability, they collectively become defensive and feel targeted for blame. Their shoulders drop, they look down and feel the burden of responsibility for all past, present or future business failures.
In business, the term accountability has taken on a very negative connotation because of the way it’s being used. The Oxford Dictionary defines being accountable as being:
“responsible for your decisions or actions and expected to explain them when you are asked”
The words used in this definition are very important and deliberately do not mention results or outcomes. That’s not to say that we should never be held responsible for the result of our actions and there are many examples where we should. Acting inappropriately, unethically, negligently or illegally are examples where individuals or groups must be held to account, not only for their actions but also their outcomes.
However, in business we need our people to feel comfortable and empowered to extend themselves, try new approaches, be innovative, and take appropriate risks. No one is going to do this if their leaders hold them accountable for the outcome when things go wrong. There are many factors that affect results and outcomes that are completely outside the control of the individual; thus, leaders should only hold their staff accountable for those things that are in their control. To coin a military phrase, this is because “the enemy has a say in your plan”. If outcomes were guaranteed and forgone conclusions, every business would be equally successful. What we want from our staff is that they perform their duties in a manner that maximizes the likelihood of success and reduces the risk of failure.
Leaders need to be very clear with their staff about exactly what they mean when they tell them that they are accountable. Doing this correctly sets clear expectations and builds trust.
“People perform at their best when they feel at their best”
Daniel Goleman
Being accountable means doing what’s right to the best of your ability. It means treating others with respect, being of good character, being loyal to your organization, your leadership and your colleagues, and living according to your values and those of the organization. It means making well informed decisions and preforming actions based on those decisions. These are the non-negotiable accountable items. If you do these well, the chance of the outcome being positive is greatly improved, but if not successful, it is clear that you did everything you could and that’s all you could be expected to do.
The message leaders should tell their staff is that being accountable is about being of good character, being loyal, and doing what’s right. It’s about making informed decisions and acting accordingly and it’s about living your values. These are the things you are accountable for.
