Scott Burrows

Shrug It Not: Why Workplace Accountability Matters

Why does accountability matter? Most people will dismiss an erroneous matter altogether. Mistakes happen, they say. There is no system for accountability in an organization, and everyone resultantly suffers.

According to a workplace study, it is revealed that 82% of respondents have limited-to-no power to hold the responsible persons accountable in their workplace. A major problem can be traced back a simple mistake, which no one regarded in the first place.

Accountability matters to keep employees in line, it matters in preventing losses in your company, and it matters in keeping performance levels steadily high.

It’s clear that you need a system of sorts in place to introduce and enforce the significance of accountability amongst your employees.

  • Reorganize the present system.The first change you need to make is to reinvent the workplace Let your employees know that they will be monitored, and their mistakes are theirs to fix.
  • Be upfront about it.There is absolutely no need to beat around the bush when you are pointing out an employee’s mistakes. Seniority and personal perspectives should be kept aside. We omit people’s mistakes to spare their feelings, or out of the fear of offending them. However, no one is exempt from accountability.
  • Set goals for lesser mistakes.Conventional employee goals and milestones include upping their performance, but what about the errors they are making? Set weekly/monthly goals to limit slip ups.
  • Lead by example.As a leader, you are not perfect, and your employees have no doubt caught on to your flaws by now.

Practice what you preach by identifying your own shortcomings and fixing them.

  • Loosen the reins.Staying on top of every single employee every single day sparks agitation.

Give a little breathing room to your employees. Know that accountability is not an overnight progress. Focus on one type of mistake an employee makes, and then hold them accountable for the other.

  • Value the change.Accountability is important, but when you incorporate it in your own workplace, make sure you acknowledge your employees’ efforts too.

It is not only a question of quantifiable losses; accountability also has an impact on employee morale. The practice of not holding anyone responsible destroys employees’ faith in their leader, as it is perceived as lackadaisicalness and even favoritism.

As an accountability keynote speaker, Scott Burrows values this factor in his presentations for corporate events. An important aspect of great leadership is acknowledging that accountability is a significant form of respect you can give to your employees.

Need more leadership inspiration? Check out some of Burrows’ keynote examples here.

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