Trust in Action: Accountable
Whether we trust someone or not is one of the first foundational questions considered when introduced to any individual. This judgement can be based on a variety of factors, including your periphery experience with this person, what you’ve heard others say about them, superficial appearance, how they speak and even the setting where you encounter them.
While entirely human, this system of consideration is often flawed. People you weren’t so sure about may flip your expectations entirely, and a good first impression can subsequently be soured.
At what point does an individual’s measured intuition turn into steadfast conviction? Oftentimes this transformation occurs at an important crossroads in any relationship: When the other party gives their word to accomplish something, and either:
a) Follows through.
b) Fails to follow through.
These results represent two ends of a spectrum, a sort of spectrum of accountability. Accountability, or what can be otherwise known as justified trust, is the cornerstone of the phrase “actions speak louder than words.” It is the credit score of trust, and like a credit score, accountability is slowly built and damages to it last a long time.
Accountability in the Workplace
In your professional relationships with people, whether leading others or being a part of a team, being accountable will affect how all of your coworkers perceive you. This perception will affect their expectations on your output, your reliability, and how willing they are to ask you for help. Strong accountability and strong likelihood of professional success are directly correlated. Shouldering a reputation as someone who cannot be counted on is a march ever closer to the chopping block.
When leading a team, accountability is especially important. A team will often mirror the example of the one who leads it. A team with a leader that can follow through on their word will be given the utmost respect of trust, and a flighty individual with a flimsy word will go with the wind.
What does Accountability look like?
An accountable leader, first and foremost, follows through on their obligations. Specificity is a major key here, in the sense that expectations must be clearly set to be clearly met. If you say you will complete a task, what is the date and time of completion? To what degree will the task be completed, and is what ruler will be utilized to measure completeness? Oftentimes if details are not specific enough, this will lead the other party to fill in the blanks, which may then lead to unmet expectations not even discussed.
This follow through on obligations also encompasses abiding by professional etiquette. I had a band director at one point explain his policy to me: “Early is on time, on time is late.” Famous chef and restaurateur Anthony Bourdain would always expect his employees to arrive 15 minutes early, and if they didn’t they soon received the axe. Punctuality is the first lesson to be taught in Accountability 101.
Follow up on communications are also important, and while an entire article can be written about best methods regarding this subject, as a rule long unanswered emails and lack of checking back on progress are considered malpractice. The nice thing about electronic communications is that they are documented and can be archived for posterity.
To follow through on your word can take time, and so an accountable individual must also have a decent grasp on time management. This is especially important for leaders who are bombarded with requests for help or collaboration, and must know what to prioritize, and when to pull back and refuse certain time-consuming requests.
It’s easy to agree to 10 different projects and immediately seem like a hero and a true reliable workhorse. However, it is far more difficult to follow through with flying colors and completely satisfied collaborators. If you fail to come up with quality results on time, you now have this sub-par specter attributed to your name and potential irreparable damage to your reputation
Being accountable bequeaths the right to be congratulated on successes, but by the same token, the responsibility falls upon the same person for failures or missteps. Heavy lies the crown.
Mistakes can be learned from and methods can be improved upon when responsibility is taken for them. While it can be humbling to admit error and reflect upon what exactly went wrong, oftentimes your peers will respect you far more than if you tried to foist blame disingenuously on others or onto uninvolved circumstances.
How to grow as an accountable leader
Accountability is the glue that holds any team together, and the lack thereof breeds mistrust and low morale. The onus is on the team leader to push this value into Standard Operating Procedure through continual dedication to holding oneself accountable.
Occasionally, team members will push the boundaries of what is acceptable to probe how much wiggle room there is in the enforcement of policies and expectations. A team lead that can nip these instances in the bud before they become precedent will find much success down the road. This nipping takes the form of holding others accountable in a firm way to prevent further deviances from a productive direction, in the form of reprimand or more dire consequences.
This advice should not be interpreted in a way that takes the form of managerial overreach or panting down your colleague’s necks like a micromanaging office tyrant. Breathing room to work is a necessity of successful operation.
An accountable leader is a mentor, a purveyor of good advice and a problem solver. These are all skills that come with time, experience and an open mind ready to learn.
All that said, holding others accountable works both ways. Should others come to you with constructive criticism or respectfully bringing attention to a mistake, this should not be taken personally; Rather, this conversation should be observed as an opportunity for growth, and gratitude should be given in turn.
As anyone that has contended with a serious team project as part of a diverse group can tell you, one of the most difficult things can be bringing attention to areas of improvement in a way that can be sincerely received.
Final Thoughts
Holding yourself and others accountable is a conscious decision made every minute of every day. No, it isn’t an easy pattern of behavior. However, the related benefits of a strong community reputation, inner peace of mind, and the satisfaction of self-actualization all combine to produce a life triumphantly lived.
We would love to hear from you, for all of your leadership questions, obstacles and or barriers, please let us know for a no strings attached – FREE Leadershipism.
