Ownership and Accountability: Key to more effective results

By Darren Finkelstein
By Darren Finkelstein

The Accountability Guy®

Home » Accountability » Ownership and Accountability: Key to more effective results
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Accountability is crucial for improving your overall performance. It is the key to a company’s success. If we are talking about achieving effective and improved results, we are looking at the enhanced performances of each employee in the organization. So, we must understand what performance means and how we can improve performance. And how do ownership and accountability help us in improving our performance? Eventually, we deliver the effective results we aim for in the end.

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Performance

So, what is performance in business? How do we set those parameters right? So, all the employees are responsible for their dedication and performance, which will then reflect on overall business growth. Performance can be termed as revenue generation, quality, and efficiency of employees in output generation. And a good level of performance is dependent on various factors like employee engagement, culture, transparency at the organization, trustworthy relationship at work, and training and resources provided by the organization. If an employee is happy and satisfied at work, he will be a highly dedicated individual who will perform at the highest level.


Secondly, if he is given growth opportunities and rewards from time to time, then his dedication and commitment will increase over a period. So, how would an organization achieve that? The answer is simple, let us train your employees about ownership and accountability. When a committed, competent, accountable employee owns his responsibilities, he is guaranteed to perform at the optimum level. Hence, let us now look at how accountability and ownership would impact achieving more effective results.

Accountability and ownership together result in more effective results.

Encourages transparency

As everyone at work will be accountable and take ownership of their responsibilities, it would create more clarity. Once the organization’s culture is transparent, the employees will better understand their duties and required results, encouraging them to remain focused and committed to their performance.

Builds trustworthy environment

Employees learn to respect each other as each employee is accountable and takes ownership of their successes and failures. The teamwork improves and the quality of output provided in the project is also enhanced. With respect, the employees learn to trust each other. Managers can trust their employees to finish their tasks on time, and employees also trust if, in case of project failure, the manager stands up for their team.

Employees develop self–discipline traits

After an employee has learned about accountability and ownership behavior, he is now shifting his mindset towards it. Then he would ensure that he remains committed and focused on his duties and task, which would also help him develop self-discipline. As he starts creating his progress report, he would measure his progress milestones of the project, create a road map for his project, and start with smaller projects at a time.

Improved decision-making

Employees would feel encouraged to talk to their managers openly. It would allow them to discuss the possible challenges and alternatives to meet their goals. It would give them enough chance to do a brainstorming session and make appropriate decisions to get improved and better results. As they are aware that they are accountable and must take ownership of their choices and failures, employees will ensure they make the right decisions.

Open door policy

As managers will be available for discussion with their employees during the brainstorming sessions, they are not just giving orders to their teams. However, they can listen to their challenges and problems. Therefore, this would build a culture of an open-door policy.

Improved Feedback sessions

Feedback sessions are crucial if we constantly focus on improved performance and results. Employees and managers are accountable and take ownership of their mistakes and success, frequently sit together for brainstorming sessions, and can trust each other. Therefore the feedback provided both ways are appreciated and taken on the positive account. It would allow everyone to improve and deliver the best results.

More employee engagement

An employee would notice that the organization is ready to invest in his growth and development, and his peers and managers trust him; therefore, he would ensure to deliver his best. He would build a stronger and more respectful relationship with everyone at work.

Conclusion

Accountability and ownership are the main factors driving better output and efficiency at work. Employees and managers learn about their responsibilities and take ownership of their actions, decisions, and failures; this gives them more opportunities to build a trustworthy environment and open and transparent culture and learn and improve from previous mistakes.


Accountability makes everyone develop self-discipline traits and allows them to create accurate road maps and milestones to achieve efficiency. Accountable employees and managers help in creating a responsible culture at work. It gives them more dedication, commitment, and satisfaction to remain focused on the assignments and organization. So, if you are looking at getting your managers and employees to practice accountable and ownership behavior, hire a coach who can work closely with them and explain the benefits with his own experiences.