I recently conducted an offsite meeting for a client.  The topic of accountability came up and the senior staff decided to ask the rest of the team their definition of accountability.  I’ll get to what we heard in a minute. Before you read anymore I want to tell you that I believe  leaders create the lack of accountability they say they want.  You’re saying no way Linda, people are accountable or they aren’t, leaders or the company do not create lack of accountability.  If accountability does not exist with the team it means we have the wrong people. And I want to respectfully disagree, at least partially. 

Webster defines accountability as an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.  People aren’t born accountable or not, they are taught accountability.  Here’s what I think.  Learning to be accountable starts with parenting, and yet even if children aren’t taught accountability from their parents they can learn from teachers, managers and others.  Conversely even those who grow up understanding accountability can join a company that teaches them they don’t have to. Thus, in many ways leaders create the lack of accountability in their staff they often complain about.

Let’s go back to the discussion I mentioned earlier.  Below is a list of definitions from the team as to how they define accountability.

• — Responsibility which includes being respectful and responsive
• — Communicate proactively
• — Liable for the end result
• — Acknowledge, actions, decision
• — Set expectations
• — Engagement
• — Owning everything
• — Answerability
• — Domain

I added honesty to the list.

Looking at this list I’m sure you see what I see…that the team actually understands the concept of accountability.  So if they know what the meaning of accountability is why aren’t they accountable?  That is the question that the CEO and senior leadership team asked me.  Here are my thoughts.

This company has created the culture of a lack of accountability.

To begin, there are some basic infrastructure pieces missing.  These include missing job descriptions or out of date job descriptions for about seventy percent of the organization.  There are no performance metrics for anyone.  I’m not referring to annual reviews on performance but metrics for each and every role within the company that can be used to evaluate and measure performance.  And because this is lacking there is no baseline to begin having the performance discussions.  Annual reviews are conducted but not documented.  There are no regular conversations about performance throughout the year.  If you are the employee and don’t know what is expected of you performance wise how can you be accountable?

Discussions focus on what someone did wrong.  When someone doesn’t perform to whatever standard the leadership feels is appropriate the discussion (if it occurs at all) is about what they did wrong, how they should have known better and sometimes, though infrequently what they want them to do differently.  Rarely is there a conversation around the ‘why or explanation’ behind the manager’s thinking so that the staff can learn to think for themselves so the next time they either know what to do or to ask questions.

If you want people to think for themselves and take accountability, you as the leader must help them understand your thinking.  Robotic responses to a task do not build accountability or creative thinkers, it simply builds a culture of people who can only do what you have specifically asked them to do.

The company focuses on tasks not goals.  Individuals are requested to complete tasks, not on goals.  What do I mean by this?  Sally may be asked to complete a report by Tuesday.  There is no definition of what Tuesday means (is that morning, noon or close of business).  The likelihood is there will be limited information provided on what is needed in the report, the importance of the report and the impact if not completed or handled well,  or the consequences if it isn’t completed.

Focusing on the goal would include all of this so Sally could understand what her role was in the process and providing world class service.

Priorities change constantly.   As someone who always has a long list of to dos I understand that priorities shift and need to be reevaluated constantly as needs change.  What might be absolutely essential to complete by tomorrow may be pushed if my technology blows up.  At the moment though I am able to assess what needs reprioritized,  it can’t go to the back burner or slip off the plate altogether.  If a company doesn’t have clear priorities defined in the first place when something comes up they simply shift to something new without thought of coming back to what was replaced.  

The assumption is if you ask, they will do. If you ask their leaders, they all have the assumption that if you ask, then of course people will do whatever they are asked.  Just because you asked does not mean they are committed to completing.  You have to determine if they understand what you are asking of them and the timeline by when it needs completed.  As a leader you have to help them think by asking what other projects or tasks they are handling so you can help them, if necessary reprioritize.  If they have too much on their plate they may commit but not actually be able to follow through. 

This isn’t the only company I have worked with that has these challenges, which creates the lack of accountability, it’s simply a recent example.  Any one of these conditions could create an organization where employees aren’t accountable.  Having multiples is obviously that much worse. 

To recap, whether they want to believe it or not leaders often create a culture where employees aren’t accountable.  How is that possible?  They start without clearly defined roles and responsibilities.  Performance metrics are not expressed or communicated.  Too much focus on tasks rather than goals and when tasks are not handled well or on time the communication between manager and staff member is poor or nonexistent.  Priorities aren’t set in the first place and shift frequently. When the shift happens leaders aren’t circling back to ensure everything is completed.  Lastly there is no commitment from staff, there is only an expectation that if a leader asks it will be done.  How do leaders create a lack of accountability in their organization?  Ask yourself which of the above mentioned happens in your company or with you.

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