Accountability is a fundamental skill every business that wants to grow and avoid turnover must develop.
In fact, about 91% of employees express that a crucial aspect of their company’s leadership development needs is the ability to hold others accountable effectively.
Promoting accountability is among several factors that can contribute to developing a positive and nurturing work atmosphere.
Individuals can strive to accept their own responsibility, encourage mutual accountability, or cultivate a broader organizational culture centered on being accountable.
These efforts collectively foster a more joyful, efficient, and stress-free workplace.
Unfortunately, too many managers underestimate this vital aspect, which can affect their company’s performance and overall success.
But the culture of accountability is not just a mirage: every team can develop it with small measures that will drastically improve the productivity and motivation of its members.
What is Accountability in Business?
In the workplace, accountability means being willing to take responsibility for one’s actions and the results they produce.
It is often confused with the concept of responsibility, but in reality, they have two different meanings.
Responsibility is the duty to complete tasks, while accountability is to explain or answer for completing tasks after they are done.
For example, a sales manager is responsible for managing his team, but he demonstrates accountability when he does whatever it takes to reach a specific goal.
This is a crucial difference, as the concepts are often confused.
Benefits of accountability
Accountability in business ensures everyone knows that they need to take personal responsibility for their actions and need to work as a team, not only single individuals.
This expectation needs to extend across all levels of employees, including both new hires and senior executives.
Professionals can demonstrate accountability through various means.
Regardless of their position, individuals can embrace personal accountability by acknowledging their responsibilities and pledging to fulfill their roles within the company.
This may involve completing specific tasks or meeting prescribed requirements.
Here are some ways accountability helps businesses:
- Creates a positive work environment
- Boosts ownership and pride in work
- Helps teams talk and share goals
- Builds trust within the company
- Makes spotting issues easier
- Leads to success for everyone
As you can see, accountability has great benefits and is essential for any business that genuinely wants to grow and value its workers.
The Impact of Accountability in the Workplace
When all the team members are responsible for their actions, the result is a productive workplace where they communicate without hesitation and help each other.
Obviously, it is not a goal that can be achieved overnight: developing accountability in the workplace requires time and patience.
icon-angle-right Builds a positive company culture
Imagine everyone taking charge of their work and really caring about the results: they feel part of a team, knowing they can count on each other.
That’s one of the best examples of accountability you can imagine.
When employees are held accountable, honesty and trust grow strong.
That’s because when everyone takes responsibility for their actions, it establishes a foundation of trust among colleagues.
Knowing that individuals are accountable for their work builds a sense of reliability and dependability within the team.
They know what is expected, so they do better at their jobs.
Not to mention the possibility of reducing procrastination or distractions at work, which, unfortunately, are very common.
When we know we have responsibilities towards other people and that they are counting on us, we feel more motivated to complete our tasks.
Everyone pulls together, making the whole company shine.
icon-angle-right Improves individual performance
Taking responsibility for our actions means we need to be focused and concentrated.
This means that we can hardly distract ourselves, increasing our performance and the quality of work.
Accountability also means accounting to others for our work; consequently, we always try to give our best.
Not to prove that we are better than someone else but simply because we have understood that we have responsibilities and that our contribution is essential.
In fact, it is not uncommon for each team member to give their best, even in small tasks, demonstrating commitment and dedication.
It’s a bit as if they discovered the best side of themselves, understanding that giving 100% will help grow both their company and them as people.
This translates into greater awareness and, inevitably, an increase in performance.
icon-angle-right Reduces risks and promotes integrity
Accountability in the workplace is like a safety net for businesses.
It catches problems before they can do real harm.
Mistakes get spotted and fixed fast, ensuring the business stays honest and do things right.
This proactive mindset encourages individuals to assess potential pitfalls and take preventive measures, reducing the likelihood of errors, accidents, or other adverse outcomes.
This involves discussing with other team members, especially when important decisions need to be made, improving communication, and reducing the risk of errors.
In a work environment based on accountability, you learn from mistakes, seeing them as fundamental steps for your fundamental growth.
Not to mention that in an environment where you are not afraid of being judged, being honest and giving real feedback is much simpler, an essential factor for a business that really wants to grow and differentiate itself from its competitors.
And obviously, when we work without being afraid of making mistakes, we feel freer and less stressed.
We no longer waste time fixing mistakes, but rather, they are prevented through communication.
And as a result, the quality of work increases exponentially.
Tips for Enhancing Accountability in the Workplace
As we mentioned, creating an accountability-based work environment takes time and effort.
But it is an investment that will bring great benefits and will certainly pay off in the medium to long term.
Here are some practical tips for developing this skill effectively.
icon-angle-right Set clear expectations and SMART goals
Every company must have goals, and its employees need to know them.
A common mistake, however, is having too abstract goals and, above all, not having an action plan.
Transparency is fundamental, and to achieve specific objectives, we need to make them simpler and more precise.
Setting SMART goals is essential for creating a culture of accountability where everyone takes responsibility for their actions
This means that your goals need to be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
For example, if a sales manager says, “We need to increase the turnover”, it is definitely a vague and unclear goal.
To make it reachable and clear, we should say:
“We need to increase turnover by 10%.”
In order to do this, this goal should be:
- Specific: increasing the turnover by 10%
- Measurable: calculate and analyze the turnover of each month
- Achievable: implementing new commercial strategies and advertising campaigns
- Relevant: it will improve the overall company’s performance
- Time-bound: Achieve within the next 12 months
This way, other team members will have a much clearer vision of what to do and how to coordinate to meet expectations.
icon-angle-right Provide the right training and resources
Accountability is a skill and must be trained.
It’s like expecting a child to learn to swim without teaching him how to do it and the fundamentals of this sport.
First of all, we should focus on teaching our team members the basics of accountability, like communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and any other competencies relevant to the job.
An excellent idea could be to turn to an external consultant who is an expert in these situations: it will be an investment that will pay off over time.
Another effective idea is to use digital resources such as leadership courses or accountability apps.
This will allow us to continue training and improving accountability, underlining how important this skill is for a business that cares about its members and wants to make them grow, both professionally and as people.
This will also allow us to understand who really wants to undertake this path, leaving behind those who do not want to improve themselves and are not determined.
As business owners, we have a duty to create a healthy team with a positive climate; we cannot allow some members to compromise the integrity of others, influencing them negatively.
icon-angle-right Exchange feedback
Talking with each other about how things are going is a big deal at work.
It’s like giving someone a high five when they do something great or helping them get better by sharing tips.
In many workplaces, people are afraid to be honest, and that’s a very limiting obstacle.
Only through constructive and sincere feedback we can understand what is wrong and act accordingly.
Otherwise, we risk not giving the right attention to employees, who will feel not taken into consideration, and their motivation will suffer.
It is essential to take moments such as meetings where everyone expresses their opinion on a situation, talking about how it can be improved and managed better.
Individual meetings with workers are also very useful, especially if they have to talk about a delicate situation and do not feel comfortable speaking in public.
icon-angle-right Lead by example
Leaders need to show the way.
If we want our team to be accountable, we need to be an example.
When they see us working hard and taking responsibility, they will feel inspired and motivated.
Remember, good leaders don’t just talk; they do.
They take ownership of their work and hold themselves accountable first.
This sets a powerful example for all team members.
Therefore, before demanding responsibility, we must demonstrate it ourselves.
With time and consistency, our team members will also learn from us, recognizing the benefits and developing this mentality of collaboration and responsibility.
icon-angle-right Reward the accountability
In this growth path, it is essential to reward those who are committed to developing accountability and improving teamwork.
Words of encouragement are essential and highlight the progress achieved so far.
Motivational meetings are also beneficial, in fact they increase teamwork and make everyone feel equally important.
Another effective way is financial rewards: for example, bonuses for achieving objectives will only please your team, who will feel motivated to give more and more.
But don’t forget that time is the most precious thing we have.
So, when we see commitment and dedication, we could also think about days off or special events to increase team spirit.
It can simply be a lunch out with our entire team or particular activities that increase the collaborative relationship between everyone.
A day in the mountains or even a basketball or football game will make us feel more connected and increase trust with our colleagues.
We must remember to reward every single step achieved if we want accountability to become an integral part of our company,
Conclusion
Accountability is a fundamental factor for a collaborative team and a successful business.
Many companies (too many) underestimate this component, risking limiting their growth in the long term.
It is not a goal that can be achieved in a few days, but it must be the priority for every business that wants responsible and motivated team members.
By putting these simple measures into practice, any company can improve its performance and increase the satisfaction of its employees.
About the Author!
Giovanni is a maestro of time management, motivation, and accountability. With an experience of over seven years as an account manager, during the night, he transforms into an SEO consultant, one of his many passions. In this blog Giodella.com, he shares his best tips on becoming the best version of yourself based on his experience.