The Power of Accountability

The Power of Accountability

Many people don't understand what accountability is, why it's important, or where it starts. Yes, they understand accountability is important, but don't know how to create a culture of accountability, they just hope it will happen.

Let’s start with the definition: “the fact of being responsible for what you do and able to give a satisfactory reason for it, or the degree to which this happens”. To be accountable is to be “liable; called to account; answerable”. A synonym is “responsible”. When we closely look we will find that there are two players involved, the one accountable for his/her actions and the one to whom we are accountable. In other words, WHO we make ourselves accountable to is just as important as WHAT we hold ourselves accountable for.

It's a common story. As a principal, you end a strategic core meeting. There are several initiatives on which everyone agrees are important to complete by the end of the term. Everyone promises that they will all get it done, but when the deadline is met, very little of the list actually gets accomplished. We also often observe that it is not that these colleagues were not responsible or hardworking, they are your core member team. The problem was that no one was actually accountable for making sure the initiatives were complete.

Many of us get confused with the definition of accountability versus responsibility. The difference is simple. Many people can be responsible for helping out on a task or initiative. But accountability belongs only to one person who will be judged on the completion of the task.

On a personal front, to be Accountable is to be courageous. It takes courage to make a promise if you have even the slightest instinct to follow it through. Life changes so fast that it’s easy for things to get in the way of keeping a promise and if you have integrity then promises actually mean something to you — that’s called accountability.
Here are 5 key habits accountable people have in their everyday life.

1. They take responsibility and don’t have excuses.
Highly accountable people willingly take on responsibility and actively manage it so the work gets done. They make sure once the initiative has their name on it, no one else need worry about its completion. They seem to have amagical ability to stick to their plans, much to the annoyance of the rest of us. If they want to get up earlier, they do. If they plan to save money, it actually happens. They do good analysis and solve problems as they arise.

2. They organize their lives and don’t procrastinate.
It is all about planners, white board notes,dairy entry, calendar apps, and Post-It notes galore. They are hyper organized to an amazing degree, all in the name of keeping themselves on track. What good is completing initiatives if the usefulness of the result is long past. Highly accountable people understand that every task has a time value and that punctuality serves a purpose. This actually makes them trustworthy and dependable as they do not waste a minute of other people's time or their own.

3. They collaborate.
Highly accountable people are great at using the resources around them. They make the most of each available body by engaging, inspiring and empowering them to add positively to the result. They care for the feedback and correct themselves while collaborating. "I worked really hard on that presentation, but I'd love some feedback on where I could improve. Do you have any input?". They also look at the feedback as an opportunity to deliver.

4. They Control Their Emotions
They keep their cool, and don't let their anger or jealousy get out of hand. It’s because they know that negative emotions can quickly derail a situation (think work meeting, get together, etc.) in a way that isn't productive, or fun. They do not wait to be checked or monitored by others but work proactively and diligently with the team to finish the job. Similarly, accolades are nice, but none are deserved if the task is partially done. Highly accountable people get their satisfaction from delivering quality on time with a team that feels great about the accomplishment.

5. They Are Humble and own their mistakes
Success in life usually comes when we’re completely honest with ourselves and with others. This means setting aside our pride, and admitting when we’ve made a mistake. Accountability doesn’t stop with personal humility and honesty. If something has gone wrong, then they are responsible, and step up to set right the wrong. They Focus on making amends and building bridges, not erecting walls. They express a level of sincerity that shows the other individual that they’ll do what it takes to make the situation right.
Be accountable and be present to your inner self, to your inner child, to your teammates, to your family, to the society… and you may just find yourself happier, confident and contended a job fulfilled.