That Dreaded Word - “Accountability”
Accountability is a pillar for organizational success - and a concept many leaders and teams have come to dread. In this series or articles, we explore the challenges and opportunities around establishing cultures of accountability. Part 1 of this series grounds us in a common understanding of accountability, the barriers to accountability, and the impact of the lack of accountability.
What Do We Mean By “Accountability”
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines accountability as “the quality or state of being accountable, with a particular emphasis on the obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions”. In organizations, accountability is a pillar for success - doing what you say you’re going to do and letting people know what happened (and the impact of that). It’s the glue that holds our web of working relationships together. Without it, we lack the insight and coordination to course correct towards our goals.
If accountability is so important, why is it so hard to achieve?
What Gets In The Way of Holding Accountability
There are a few things that get in the way of holding rigorous, effective accountability, among them…
Lack of Clear Expectations and Roles - Often, a lack of accountability stems from a fundamental ambiguity regarding roles, responsibilities, objectives, and outcomes. When team members are unsure of what is expected of them, it can lead to misalignment with organizational goals.
Communication Gaps: Miscommunication or insufficient communication can create gaps in understanding, leading to missed expectations and outcomes. And as much as we love Slack and email, a lot of context is missed when we rely solely on these channels, especially when the stakes are high and the heat is on.
Wishy-Washy Leadership: Leadership's commitment to accountability can sometimes wane, leading by example is crucial. If leaders do not hold themselves or others accountable, it can create a culture of leniency and inconsistency, which will inevitably find its way into the deepest levels of the organization.
Fear-Driven Cultures: In environments where mistakes are penalized instead of used as learning opportunities, employees may fear taking ownership of their actions. This fear inhibits creativity and innovation, detering individuals from fully committing to their responsibilities and owning their mistakes.
Feedback, Weaponized: We’ve heard that “Feedback is a gift!” Really?!? Not the way most of the feedback we’ve received over the years has been given. When feedback is focused more on the person and not the outcomes and impact, it can feel like an attack. This quickly drives disengagement.
When any of these barriers are present in a culture - and it only takes one - accountability can tank, and right quick. Let’s peel the onion back even further and look at the impact these barriers have on culture.
What’s The Impact of a Lack of Accountability?
Let’s pause for a moment and affirm that the above barriers are likely not intentional and usually they happen out of the awareness of most people. But they do have an impact and it’s worth sharing some of the most common examples we see in our work with leaders, teams, and organizations:
Lower Employee Morale and Engagement: A culture lacking in accountability can lead to frustration and disengagement among team members who are committed but are finding it harder and harder to do their jobs. A disengaged workforce has a real impact on operational efficiency, innovatio, and customer satisfaction - and therefore, an impact on the bottom line.
Reduced Productivity and Efficiency: Talking about operational efficiency, when accountability is absent, tasks fall through the cracks, deadlines are missed, and the quality of work suffers. This creates a vicious cycle with decreased employee engagement - as productivity tanks, morale and engagement go with it, with sinks productivity, and on and on and on…
Erosion of Trust: Brené Brown lists accountability as a key characteristic of trust, which is the cornerstone of healthy and thriving working relationships and the glue that holds a team together. When a lack of accountability erodes trust, we start limiting our own or others’ involvement in important projects and initiatives, which reduces productivity, which lowers employee engagement - see how that works?
Bottom-Line Impact: Ultimately, the impacts mentioned above can culminate in significant financial repercussions. Inefficiencies, lower productivity, and disengaged employees can lead to increased costs, reduced revenue, decreased quality, lower customer satisfaction - and a diminished bottom line.
These are a few of the big ones, and we know you have other examples as well. The point is that, by the time you start seeing the barriers and the impacts surface, it’s too late. They’re kind of like termites - the structural damage is already done by the time you see the sawdust surrounding the termite hole. The good news is that it’s all fixable.
Building Cultures of Accountability
Addressing a lack of accountability requires a concerted effort from all levels of an organization. It begins with clear communication of expectations and roles, bolstered by a commitment from leadership to model and uphold accountability. Creating a culture that encourages ownership, views mistakes as growth opportunities, and values constructive feedback is essential. Implementing effective communication channels and feedback mechanisms will further support these efforts.
As organizations commit to fostering a culture of accountability, they'll find improved productivity and efficiency, a more engaged workforce, and a healthier, sustainable bottom line. Accountability, after all, is not just about responsibility; it's about fostering a culture where everyone feels empowered to contribute their best towards the collective success of the organization. In our next article in our 3-part series on Accountability, we’ll offer you ideas about how to build a culture of accountability in your team, your function, and across your organization.
