For leaders to be effective, creating trust among team members is critical. One way to do this is by establishing a culture of accountability. In this culture, not only do leaders hold their employees accountable, but leaders must also be accountable themselves. This can show up in many ways, from taking responsibility when things don’t go as planned to acknowledging when others have stepped up and performed well.
Learn what accountability in leadership means, why it’s one of the most important skills for a leader to possess and how a leader can foster accountability within their team.
What Is Leadership Accountability?
If you’ve ever had a good leader, you can understand how inspirational they can be. Good leaders motivate others to work smarter and harder, benefiting the whole company.
Leadership accountability starts with personal accountability. If you have something you are responsible for doing, being accountable means others can rely on you to do what is required of you.
Leaders are accountable to their team members and other stakeholders, such as shareholders and customers. They are responsible for performing certain tasks for each group and are accountable for the results. When leaders fulfill their commitments, they show accountability, as people can rely on them. The same is true when a leader is not able to fulfill their obligations, but is forthcoming about this and doesn’t try to sweep it under the rug.
When a leader behaves in these ways, it builds trust among their team, showing the team members that they can come forward to ask for help and take responsibility for their actions. Team accountability is the natural next step, as the leader has inspired team members to support each other.
Related: Accountability Quotes for Work, Leadership & Growth
Why Is Accountability Important in Leadership?
Accountability in management can help teams work better, enhance team morale, improve trust in leadership and contribute to more thoughtful decision-making and conflict resolution.
When there is accountability in business, there is also improved team performance and productivity. Time won’t be spent on unnecessary tasks but instead devoted to the company’s goals. This is important because if team members don’t feel their work is valued, it can lead to low morale and distrust in leadership.
When a culture of accountability is present, it could also lead to more thoughtful decision-making and conflict resolution. Accountability encourages carefully weighing the risks and benefits of a decision. When people are accountable for their decisions, they also accept their choices and take responsibility for them, growing and learning as a result. Similarly, accountability in the workplace can also contribute to improved conflict resolution. This is because a culture of accountability encourages taking ownership of actions rather than shifting blame, leading to constructive solutions and growth.
When leaders demonstrate accountability, there are higher levels of performance, transparency and integrity within an organization.
How Leaders Can Demonstrate Accountability
Leaders need to model the behavior they want from their teams, and, fortunately, there are simple ways to do this.
Acknowledge Mistakes and Take Ownership of Decisions
If a leader plays the blame game when something goes wrong, their team will feel hesitant to take ownership of their mistakes. A good leader acknowledges their own mistakes, takes ownership of their decisions and moves forward on a path of change when needed.
Set Clear Expectations and Follow Through
Another way to demonstrate accountability in business management is to set clear expectations and make sure to follow through with them consistently. An employee who understands the expectations is set up for success. They can work towards the goal without having to waste time trying to determine the measure of success. This requires regular check-ins and follow-through. Especially with junior team members, frequent check-ins help everyone feel they are moving in the right direction toward the goal.
Be Transparent and Open to Feedback
It can be incredibly valuable when leaders understand that feedback isn’t a one-way street. A leader should be transparent and open to feedback. It’s not as simple as just asking for feedback, either—employees may not feel comfortable providing feedback to leadership directly. You might want to consider different programs that let leaders solicit anonymous feedback from their reports.
Once a leader has received feedback, it’s key to acknowledge the feedback and provide a plan for improvement if needed. This shows the team that leaders value the feedback and are working to change going forward.
How Leaders Can Foster Accountability in Their Teams
Taking steps to be accountable as a leader is essential. Once that’s established, leadership can work towards accountability for employees and team members. Try these actionable strategies to help create a culture of accountability.
Establish Clear Goals, Roles and Expectations for Team Members
The first step in fostering accountability is for a leader to set goals. People cannot perform in the way you want them to if they don’t know what is expected of them. Setting goals and getting buy-in from stakeholders is an important step, as it shows people what their role is and what they need to do to be successful.
Provide Consistent Feedback and Review Performance Regularly
Once the goals and role expectations are set, work to provide regular check-ins and performance reviews. Check-ins offer an opportunity for dialogue and collaboration. If check-ins are happening at regular touchpoints, it will be easier for a leader to see where an employee needs more support.
If a leader is providing effective feedback throughout the work cycle, a performance review shouldn’t come as a surprise. The performance review is a great time to recognize and reward accountable behavior, but it should not be the only time this is done. It’s also crucial to acknowledge these behaviors along the way. This helps employees feel “seen” and, in turn, motivates them to continue with good performance and productivity.
Encourage Open Communication and Collaboration
Setting an expectation of open communication and collaboration can also strengthen accountability in the workplace. It helps foster a supportive environment and mutual respect in which employees are more comfortable taking accountability. Having honest dialogue and encouraging collaboration can increase engagement and boost accountability.
Lead by Example
If you’re asking yourself, “How can I hold my employees accountable for mistakes?” remember it’s imperative to show this through your leadership and interactions. A leader leads by example. They won’t be able to get their team to be accountable without being accountable themselves.
Accountability in Business Management: Best Practices
Goals should come from the top down so that a company is working together towards success. Using key performance indicators (KPIs) can help track progress towards the goal.
You can do this on your own, but many different programs are also available to automate goal setting and progress for a company. These are helpful as they often provide a visual to show progress toward a goal. When you know how close you are to reaching your goal, you might work that much harder to get there.
Managers (especially newly promoted managers) might need accountability training. This helps highlight how essential feedback is to the work experience—and that people can’t achieve goals if they don’t know what they are. Ongoing accountability training can also introduce leaders to new concepts or research in this field and how it can help in the workplace.
The ultimate goal is to empower team members to make decisions so that they feel responsible for and proud of their work. This way, they will see mistakes as learning opportunities and not failures. By aligning accountability with company goals and values, leadership can bring these fundamental components together for a healthy, successful workplace.
Accountability Helps Drive Success
Accountability is a fundamental element of effective leadership that should align with company goals and values. It fosters trust and high performance within a team. Leaders who model accountability to their team motivate employees to take responsibility for their work product, which drives overall success.
Ultimately, when accountability is part of a company’s culture, it leads to a more productive environment with engaged employees. Start with a few simple steps towards improved accountability today, and watch your workplace thrive.
Photo by PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock.com.
