Accountability is powerful when it comes to relationships, whether personal or professional. It is an acceptance of responsibility for one’s actions and implies a willingness to be transparent in terms of chores and duties, so performance can be observed, evaluated, and judged by others. They will then be able to weigh in to improve tasks and processes. Being accountable shows maturity and integrity. It inspires confidence from clan and companions, colleagues and clients.
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“Accountability impacts how you engage with your team, how you feel about your job, and how well you perform. Studies have found that accountability positively benefits team performance because it brings teams together to work collaboratively instead of competitively.”
~ from The best teams hold each other accountable: examples of how it works by Maggie Wool on BetterUp |
Regardless of your specific industry or profession, there are many different ways to show accountability at work. Setting deadlines and adhering to them, delegating tasks as needed, being proactive, collaborating, and problem-solving. As long as you are task-oriented in the process of achieving a goal and you get results, you are being accountable. This benefits everyone–you and the people around you can build positive relationships and work more effectively together because you all know you can count on one another to get things done efficiently and well.
No matter what, you will need a good wingman or two to get the job done effectively. Whatever your mission, your wingmen will be right there with you. They’re aware of the vision and share the same values and standards as you do. They are there to hold you accountable, and you can trust them to make sure you take personal responsibility for your role and commitment to your goals. You and your wingmen can be accountable to one another, and use that accountability as a powerful tool towards achieving mutual success.
Accountability is vital. As a leader, exemplifying accountability encourages the people around you to be accountable, too. Everyone becomes more engaged so there is greater innovation that improves products, processes, and services, which leads to strength in mission execution. In short, accountability yields results.
How can you become more accountable and take more responsibility for your words and actions?
