The Art Of Accountability: 6 Simple Habits Of Naturally Accountable People
Accountable people don't make excuses — they step up.
Mizuno K | Canva When it comes to managing — whether in a team or even in a family unit — learning how best to instill accountability is an important part of making tasks flow smoothly and getting everything done. I often see leaders struggling with encouraging a sense of ownership within their teams. These leaders themselves are often very driven, making it harder for them to understand why others don’t take more ownership.
The question they usually ask is, "How do I get my team to be more engaged?" There are a few things that leaders need to do to instill a sense of ownership in their people, like sharing visions, promoting inclusiveness, and open communication through feedback and effective delegation.
At the core of ownership, however, comes accountability. When most leaders are looking for leadership in their people, they want a strong sense of accountability and responsibility toward their job and the organization.
Accountability is about delivering on a commitment. It's a responsibility to an outcome, not just a set of tasks. It's taking the initiative with thoughtful, strategic follow-through. It's necessary at all levels of the hierarchy.
Here are 6 simple habits of naturally accountable people:
1. They deliver on expectations
SG SHOT / Shutterstock
Setting expectations is at the crux of holding people accountable, and delivering on expectations is what makes people accountable.
Setting expectations means being clear about the outcome you're looking for. Think of how you'll measure success and how people will go about achieving the objective. It does not all have to come from you. There's a difference between setting rules and expectations.
Research has shown that instead of avoiding difficult conversations, accountable people communicate expectations upfront, which fosters trust and improves performance by minimizing confusion and preventing blame. This contrasts with a high-stress, low-clarity environment where people are hesitant to admit mistakes.
2. They openly discuss accountability
mapo_japan / Shutterstock
Is accountability a subject that's avoided in your life or workplace? It shouldn't be. People often do not even realize that a lack of accountability is the core reason people do not finish the tasks delegated or assigned to them.
Leaders must get everyone acquainted and comfortable with the idea of holding each other accountable. It may be a good practice during team meetings to ask how you'll hold each other accountable for this task.
This opens up the conversation and gets everyone comfortable thinking about accountability. Use storytelling and past examples within the organization to emphasize its value. Over-communicating is beneficial.
3. They track their progress
Stock 4you / Shutterstock
A great way to be an accountable person and build a culture of accountability is through data. Put constructs in place to track data, e.g., calendar invites for follow-up on both ends. Use technology to track or support this data-driven approach.
Accountable people tend to be more transparent, cautious, and systematic in their use of digital tools and information. Research has suggested that this behavior is driven by the internal recognition that their actions have consequences and can impact others.
4. They have a plan — and then execute it
insta_photos / Shutterstock
Make your team part of the process when you delegate or set goals. Get a sense of where everyone is on their motivation scale to take on those responsibilities. Do they have the skills and resources to accomplish the goals? If they don’t, what is plan B?
If this is not done, you set your team up for failure. Co-create an action plan with them, and then hearing a summary verbalized by them is an excellent first step to ensuring accountability on the action plan. The most naturally accountable people will have the resourcefulness to set a plan for themselves — and then execute and see it through to completion, no excuses.
5. They address mistakes before they become headaches
insta_photos / Shutterstock
Nobody likes mistakes, but naturally accountable people embrace them and even expect them. And when these inevitable hiccups arise, they figure out how to navigate them to get back on track to their desired outcome. Creating a safe environment where making mistakes does not scare people improves accountability.
Rather than avoiding conflict, accountable individuals view confrontations as opportunities for learning and growth. One study explained that these conversations often involve discussing a specific situation and its impact and then agreeing on a solution.
6. They don't micro-manage
wavebreakmedia / Shutterstock
Accountability is about trusting people to do the right thing. One reason why people managers hesitate in attempting to do anything about making their employees accountable is that it tends to get confused with micromanagement.
Micromanagement is based on a lack of trust. Micromanagement does have a bad reputation and is not the desired behavior in most situations. A good leader will emphasize the importance of accountability and get everyone on the team to understand what they are accountable for.
A research of more than 5,400 senior-level managers by Harvard Business Review found that one out of every two managers is terrible at accountability. It's the single biggest thing that managers avoid doing: holding people accountable. It arises from wanting to maintain a favorable image, be popular, not rub people the wrong way, and avoid having difficult conversations.
But accountability — as well as holding others accountable — is one of these powerful traits of a leader, and one of the most powerful things they can do for their team because it builds trust and credibility and sets the gold standard.
Bhavna Dalal is a master certified executive coach, MCC ICF, speaker, and author of Checkmate Office Politics, who helps people develop their leadership skills, such as executive presence, strategic thinking, influencing, and networking.
