The Problem
Following through on personal and organizational commitments is essential to achieve necessary results. However, many challenges stand in the way. The issue is whether we will allow those challenges to become excuses, or we will maintain a dedicated focus on what we can control.
What Is Accountability?
While there are many definitions of accountability, fundamental to nearly all of them is a personal commitment to do what we said we would do. Accountability is sustained by focusing on what is controllable and making a decision to pursue excellence even in the face of significant odds.
How we can help
Building a Culture of Accountability takes focused effort and an intentional approach. At the heart of this work is engaging individual employees with principles to help them navigate the setbacks that are inevitable in today’s work environment. Frontline Training Solutions can help by providing targeted training and consulting efforts that focus on empowering employees to stay focused on results while fostering creative problem-solving approach. At the same time, we can assist organizations in creating the atmosphere where personal accountability is supported and emphasized.
- Shifting our Mindset: Accountability is often a topic that comes up after something goes wrong. It is reactionary when individuals, leaders, and organizations are looking for someone to blame. Our approach flips the script from “holding people accountable” to “taking accountability.” This alternative perspective puts control back in the hands of individuals and makes accountability more of a proactive concept in organizations
- Addressing the Elephant(s) in the Room: Accountability becomes an issue when challenges get in the way of success. As human beings, we have developed a number of coping mechanisms that help us navigate these challenges but that also may prevent us from remaining engaged. Instead of staying focused on what needs to be accomplish, we focus on excuses, blaming others, and waiting for others to take action. In order to overcome the gravity of these behaviors, we need to recognize them and build strategies for overcoming.
- Accountability & Personality: Our approach to personal accountability is driven, in large part, by our personality. What we need from others, especially when things are not going well, may be different that what others need. Elevating our self-awareness can help us determine what we need to “get back in the game.” Elevating our awareness of others can also help ensure we are providing assistance rather than creating additional roadblocks for an already challenging situation.
- The Role of Feedback: One of the most important tools we have to address a lack of accountability is feedback. Often times we can be blind to what we can control because we are so focused on what is in our way. Employees, leaders, and organizations who want to elevate accountability need to increase their understanding of the situation and their role in it. And the best way to do that is to create an atmosphere where feedback is given and received effectively.
- The Role of the Organization: Sustaining a Culture of Accountability requires systematic tools, resources, and processes. It requires buy-in from leaders and frontline employees. It requires training and focused coaching. It requires an openness and candor that is built out of a desire to help and encourage. It requires the ability to look in the mirror and be honest about both our shortcomings and our capabilities. In short, it requires the organization to embrace a new, or enhanced, way of thinking holistically.
Rise to the Challenge with Frontline Training Solutions
Solutions
Human Resources Consulting
Our HR consulting services include a variety of solutions designed to support your team, improve hiring and onboarding, and increase employee engagement.
Operations/Lean Consulting
Sometimes as you pursue operational excellence, an outside perspective is helpful. The Frontline Training Solutions team can be that extra help for your team.
Team Solutions
An organization's success is directly connected to the health and cohesion of the team. Our seasoned facilitator will bring your team together and help them perform at higher levels.
Trainings
Decision Making and Innovation
This in person training will help identify personal and team barriers to decision making, critical problem solving, and innovation.
Working Better Together
Working Better Together is a collaboration training program for all employees. Register for this course today to help your team understand each other.
Transforming Workplace Conflict
Take conflict from being a workplace dread, to an asset. Transforming Workplace Conflict helps learners curb destructive behaviors in the moment so conflict can become more productive.
Feedback: The Key to a Top Performing Team
Frequently Asked Questions
While there are a lot of definitions of accountability, central to most of them is the idea of follow-through. Doing what we said we will do builds trust and ensures the organizations is moving forward in meaningful ways. Accountability is, we believe, a personal choice and something that must come from within. We do not believe it is possible to “hold” someone accountable, but rather seek to build process and systems that encourage people to “take” accountability for their work and results.
Fundamentally, we cannot make anyone do anything. Of course, we can (and do) build systems and processes to drive behavior in a certain direction. But it always comes down to the individual deciding to engage (or not). This is why we want to “flip the script” on this idea and move our discussions in the direction of “taking” accountability. We believe when we speak about accountability from a “take” vs. “hold” perspective, we are going to see more proactive effort and a more engaged workforce.
In short, challenges. We wish the work we had to deliver would go smoothly, but inevitably, it does not. And when things go wrong, we look for someone or something to blame. We do this because we feel out of control and need something to explain the situation. The problem is that when we focus on the problem rather than the solution, we do not make progress toward the desired result.
As with nearly everything in an organization, leaders set the tone for accountability. They can come down hard on the team when targets are missed and look for a scape goat to blame. They can ramp up the pressure and force overtime to make up for the loss. They can rollup their sleeves and try to fix it themselves. Or they can work with their teams to identify the challenges, facilitate cooperation, and build systems that foster personal accountability. This does not mean “letting people off the hook”, but rather building a positive and principled organization that seeks to develop each individual’s passion for the right results.
Accountability is first, and foremost, about achieving the right results in the right way. Very accountable people can sometimes try to make up for others’ shortcomings by taking on their work. This can set up a vicious cycle that neither fosters personal accountability nor long-term sustained results. Our work with organizations focuses on setting the right expectations, and building processes, that seek to engage each individual in the work they most need to deliver. When a team functions this way, employees do not feel the need to make up for others as each person carries the right weight on their team.