Accountability Question of the Week: I am accountable for whatever happens in my organization, regardless of how well I do my own job.

How can I be accountable for whatever happens in my organization?

Well the CEO and COO and others are. So why them and not you? Could be in how we define accountability. Could be that they are getting paid more. Pay me more and I will be more accountable?

To be accountable or responsible or to take greater ownership all we have to do is say “yes, I can impact nearly any situation at work”. I have that power. Each time I do not act on an opportunity to make an impact I cheat myself and my coworkers. These actions can be as simple as picking up trash without worrying who or how it got left in the wrong place. Listening and checking for understanding. Speaking up with a reality that others may not want to hear. Offering to help.

If you believed and acted as if you were accountable for whatever happens in your organization would your job become easier?

Empowerment or Accountabilty: Which Do You Want?

Are you seeking to have greater empowerment in your organization? Do you want people to take greater ownership of outcomes? Not sure what that means or will look like? This may help: If you want greater empowerment, create greater accountability or vice versa. What matters is that you and your co-workers (direct reports, fellow managers, your boss) need to see that empowerment and accountability are opposite sides of the same coin. To get one you have to get the other. Empowered people are more accountable. Highly accountable people operate in very empowered ways.

John wants to have his staff take on more of the duties that he is doing that are less important to the accomplishment of his goals but still important in the bigger picture. But John keeps hanging onto these weekly tasks because that is easier, at the moment,  than delegating them. He is afraid that others will not be as accountable as he is for doing the tasks. In reality a number of people on his staff have been asking to take over some of these tasks for a number of months. John needs to get over his fears and engage them to be empowered and accountable. When John figures out that if he empowers them to accomplish these tasks he also needs to ensure they understand that they are accountable for the results, he will be on his way. Once the truth that to take on the task also means being accountable for the result John and his staff had an easier time transferring duties. Empowerment = Accountability and vice versa.