The Accountability Guy®
Now that we have discussed accountability, we have understood its importance and how it can be installed in the workplace efficiently. We now understand how it can fail as well. Now it is important that we also understand the system that we need to put in place to make sure that it can foster excellence and great accountability practices. Let’s have a look at some of the practises that one organisation can adapt and bring in effective changes.
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This is the first step when we talk about accountability. When the employees start working with any organization, whatever level they might be working at, it is important that the organisation (human resources and leadership) set the proper roles and responsibilities and make it crystal clear to everyone around them. When you have clear guidelines to work within, then you have the right understanding of what exactly you are supposed to deliver and what the organisation expects from you.
When we talk about excellence, then it means we are looking for good outcomes and higher productivity levels. How can one do that? Simple: set clear outcomes, not overestimated, not underestimated, but proper goals that you want your employees to deliver. Keep the expectations absolutely clear. Communicate properly and make them understand how they can work towards it. Let them have a clear understanding of the outcomes that they are supposed to produce.
Set proper measurement tools to keep a check on the performance and productivity levels of the team members. A leader gets more bothered when he learns about the failure of meeting the outcomes or if there is any delay in meeting targets. So, he can keep a scheduled weekly or daily meeting to get a clear understanding of how and where his team needs assistance to improve. This way, their team members will be able to communicate clearly about the challenges that they are facing, and this will give them a chance to improve.
When you want everyone to work together in perfect harmony, then the key is good communication skills. So, encourage your team members to develop good communication skills; let them speak to each other or to the leaders; let them know that you, as a leader, are available to discuss the possible challenges and solutions for that, but not for gossiping or blaming others. That way, they will also appreciate the importance of time.
When we want our partners to improve or the team members to improve, then the key is to communicate with them their strengths and weaknesses. How they can work towards improvement This feedback system has to be two-way traffic, so let them know that you appreciate them if they have any feedback about their leader as well. That way, they will learn the importance of feedback and how crucial it is to improve for better performance.
No matter at what level you are working in the organization, as long as you are leading a team, you need to become their first role model to practise the proper ethics of accountability. When the employees see that their leader himself follows the ethics of accountability, then they will like to follow you and learn from you as well. If you yourself don’t follow the accountability, then they will learn that. So, you, as a leader, it becomes important that you become their first role model. When you see them following your footsteps, then appreciate them and reward them.
Make them understand that it is OK for them to face the challenges. When they do, they should be proactive enough to work on a possible solution to the challenges that they might face in reaching their targeted goals. When you introduce this behaviour of being proactive, they will always be ready for it and the possible solutions that can help. This way, they will not always run up to you with issues and problems, but rather with solutions and how they solved them. whereas you can work on targets of your own.
It is challenging for any organisation to shift the mindset, but it is not impossible. To avoid any failure, it is important the organisation works on an effective accountability system. Before anyone can even begin with any system, they should make sure that everything is communicated clearly to all of their employees. Clear communication can deliver better results. They should be able to communicate the importance of accountability to all of their employees so that they can understand why there is a shift in the system. What challenges they may face while transitioning, and how employees can collaborate to overcome these challenges.We all understand the importance and why accountability matters, how it can bring positive changes in the team and the overall organization’s success. So, it is equally important for us to understand the challenges that they might face and how they can overcome them.
Darren Finkelstein is The Accountability Guy®. This involves being an International Accountability Coach, Business Advisor, Mentor, Author, and Speaker.
Darren works with high-performing teams and individuals across Australia/NZ, UK, USA, Latin America, Europe and Asia to help get results, achieve their wildest dreams, and smash goals. He does this by leveraging over 30 years of experience working in the corporate world and small businesses.
A successful business owner himself, Darren won the Australian Entrepreneur of the Year award for Dent Global after building a wonderful lifestyle business, successfully sold and exited after 15 years.
Before this, Darren worked for over 10 years at Apple Inc. as ‘Manager of Commercial Markets’ during the inspirational Steve Jobs era. While there, he was awarded the prestigious Golden Apple Award.
Darren’s lessons in accountability can help individuals and teams at all levels of a business or organisation across the globe, and are based on actions and results:
Know what to do first
know what to do next
know what to do more of
1. Take the Accountability Scorecard
How accountable are you? Discover your accountability score and increase the probability of smashing your goals and Getting Sh!t Done. Take the quiz
2. Read my book "The Accountability Advantage - Play Your Best Game"
Eliminate procrastination and overwhelm and start playing your best game.
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3. Book a complimentary Accountability Assessment
Invest 15 minutes now and avoid months or years of struggle. If you genuinely need help becoming more accountable, it can’t hurt to find out. Book here.
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