Accountability and ownership of responsibility at the workplace are clearly linked to a higher level of performance, especially when it comes to working in a team. When team members and individuals feel ownership towards their work, it ultimately increases their commitment to their job and lifts morale.
Accountability is all about following through to completion and getting your part done, if not more. It’s recognizing that other team members are dependent on the results of your work, your attitude and how you perform your job. Your attitude towards your work can make or break a team and it usually has a cascading domino effect, especially if you happen to occupy a senior position. Accountability is all about open, hands-on communication to keep team members informed of the status of your commitments, because it has a direct impact on their ability to achieve their own commitments.
Taking ownership at work is about taking initiative and doing the right thing for the job and tasks at hand. It’s about taking responsibility for results and not assuming it is “just someone else’s responsibility.”
Ultimately, when team members consistently demonstrate ownership and accountability, trust is developed. You trust that they will do the right thing without constantly having to nag or follow up on them (this is my biggest nightmare). I really do believe trust is the backbone of a high-performing team because you’ll have the confidence to go forth without worrying anyone will slack off or drag you down.
When people are not accountable, one person’s delay becomes the entire team’s delay. One thing after another, coupled with a mistake here and there, ends up snowballing into something bigger and more serious. It ends up becoming missed deadlines, a lack of punctuality and organization and ultimately a culture of dismissive behavior.
Having a team member that isn’t meeting their commitments or not performing as aggressively as the rest, ends up causing frustration and anger with the rest of the team. If you’re a leader in your own right, you’ll know that you need to hold people accountable, even if it’s uncomfortable doing it.
One of the most important things you can do as a leader or manager, is provide feedback, be it positive or constructive. When you regularly give feedback and let everyone know what’s going on, it makes tough feedback much easier.
The bottom line is, the most important thing you can do as a leader is build a more accountable team, ensuring that everyone understands what results they are trying to achieve, in a single and unified vision. Take ownership and accountability and always ask yourself, “What else can I do to contribute and make my team stronger?”
