Accountability is the acceptance of responsibility for one’s own actions. It’s a basic part of any work culture, but many don’t know how to make it work. The most common way to ensure accountability is by assigning a system of monitoring, feedback, and rewards to each employee to allow them to determine the goals they want to achieve.
People who are responsible for their actions have no reason to act otherwise. They have no incentive to perform beyond the rewards that come from reaching goals. Accountability is a form of enforcement, but it is not enough in the long run. The goal of any good company is for each member of its workforce to have a reason to work hard for the company. The current accountability system that is commonly used in most workplaces is like avoiding bad clients.
Responsibility in the workplace What does that mean?
The term accountability brings two different definitions that are mainly used in the business world. The first definition is the responsibility of an individual to achieve certain goals within a certain period of time. The second definition is the process of holding an individual accountable for her actions. In our workplace, accountability means that everyone involved in a process must have access to the information they need and must be accountable for their decisions and actions.
If everyone in a workplace is held accountable for their actions, more people will be willing to take responsibility for pushing milestones toward completion. Responsibility means that people are encouraged to work hard not because they have to, but because they want to. Everyone in the company must know what is expected of them, who decides if they meet expectations, and what will happen as a result of their actions.
Consequences of a lack of responsibility in the workplace
Without proper responsibility at work, there is a lack of incentives for employees to perform. This results in an ineffective work culture where people work at less than 100 percent. Another negative effect of accountability is that it can make workplaces stressful. Depending on the type of workplace culture, it can be difficult for everyone to have shared goals when everyone is responsible for their own actions. Although it is easy for a company to develop high standards, it is not always easy for employees to meet those standards.
One of the biggest problems with accountability in the workplace is that it can be a negative approach. Many times companies will hold an employee accountable for missing targets without explaining why or providing feedback. This creates friction and anxiety among employees and causes them to perform below their potential. Accountability should always be done in a positive way because otherwise it will affect the culture of the company in a negative way.
How can accountability become an integral part of the office culture?
1. Start with yourself:
You have to be the first person to judge yourself, the first person to hold yourself accountable. Start by assuming that you are part of the problem, not part of the solution. If you want to create a culture of responsibility in your company, act as if it already exists. When things go wrong, don’t cover it up by blaming others for not being responsible enough. Be the one looking for ways to provide guidance and feedback to your team.
2. Set team goals:
When setting team goals, be sure to set goals based on the results you want to achieve. You don’t want to create a list of tasks that aren’t relevant to your team. The purpose of setting team goals is not to create a must-do list, but it is important to your company as a whole. Try to set goals that are achievable but challenging so that they can be used as future benchmarks.
3. Improve your feedback skills:
Focus on the feedback you provide to your team members. For example, if a person is doing something wrong, ask him why he is doing it that way. Ask them to describe their process so you understand why they made the decision they did. Then use this information as a basis for giving feedback to guide them in the right direction. By better understanding your team members, you can provide real, constructive feedback instead of just pointing out mistakes.
Conclusion
Accountability is the key to shaping the hard-working, self-motivated culture that will fuel a leader’s success. Accountability is not something that can be imposed on people through punishment, but it can be made strong enough that everyone wants it. You have to lead by example and hold yourself accountable first. It starts with you as the leader and your own responsibility. If you’re trying to make a company more responsible, make sure you’re also going through the responsibility process at work.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn