“Accountability” is one of those management terms that’s right on the brink of being jargon. It gets thrown around in job descriptions, written on white boards in brainstorming sessions, and tacked on to agendas for training. We hear so often that we need to be accountable, but we rarely stop to think about what that means in practice. And when we do, it usually has some pretty negative connotations.
What is accountability, after all, but the willingness to be held accountable (in other words, blamed) if things don’t go right? Who wants to sign up for that?
But what if that wasn’t the key element of accountability? Yes, it’s true that being accountable means taking ownership, which comes with a side order of consequences; but there’s another phrase even more closely tied to accountability that has the power to bring out the best in people.
That phrase is “meaningful work.”
Let’s imagine for a minute that you’ve been asked to move some rocks and dirt. You have a shovel, you’re healthy and strong, and there’s absolutely nothing preventing you from doing the work. How would you approach that task? Now imagine there is a person trapped under the rocks and dirt. You are a rescue worker and there’s been an earthquake, and lives depend on how quickly you respond. Suddenly the task is completely different.
That’s an extreme example, but it’s the essence of what happens in the workplace every day. Most organizations have a vision, a mission, and a purpose. Generally, that purpose is closely tied to some real benefit to a customer or to society. Yet in our day-to-day, what we do doesn’t always clearly connect back to that core purpose. The meaning of our work gets lost.
One key element of creating an accountable culture is about reconnecting to that fundamental purpose that drives your organization and connects you to your customer. People are not inclined to be accountable to that which holds no meaning.
The second element is all about management’s response to lackluster results. As a manager, you are often in the position of delegating work to your team. Sooner or later you’ll ask someone to complete a task, and they won’t get it done. How you respond to that scenario will define whether you are building or eroding the culture of accountability on your team.
Option 1: Ignore It
When presented with a situation where a team member doesn’t do something they were asked to do, many new managers simply ignore the situation. Typically, this is because the manager is uncomfortable with conflict, is hoping for the best, and thinks that if they don’t address the issue, they will seem nicer. What the manager is really saying, though, is that the work isn’t meaningful, and it doesn’t matter whether it gets done or not.
Option 2: Overreact to It
The flip side of ignoring the problem is blowing up over it. By taking the situation personally and becoming angry about the incomplete task, the manager is hoping to rule by fear, and focuses on the negative consequence of not doing the work rather than the intrinsic value of the work itself.
Option 3: Address It
Every delegated task should have a timeframe. When that time passes and the task is not done, the manager needs to acknowledge it right away and schedule a time to address it in detail. First, seek to understand what went wrong. Was the team member unable to complete the goal because of something outside of their control? Did they make a best effort, or did they not try at all?
By showing that the task was important and committing to supporting the process of getting it done, you reinforce the meaning while also supporting the individual in developing the skills to be successful. Accountability is not just about consequences; it’s about connecting each person on your team to the idea that their work is valuable, and so are they.
